A MINISTER MUST NOT BE A PRIVILEGED IDLER
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 CORINTHIANS 9:27).
I know that my writing this will not win me friends, but some men called to the ministry end up doing what comes naturally and just take it easy!

It is easy for the minister to be turned into a privileged idler, a social parasite with an open palm and an expectant look. He has no boss within sight; he is not often required to keep regular hours, so he can work out a comfortable pattern of life that permits him to loaf, putter, play, doze and run about at his pleasure.

To avoid this danger, the minister should voluntarily impose upon himself a life of labor as arduous as that of a farmer, a serious student or a scientist. No man has any right to a way of life less rugged than that of the workers who support him. No preacher has any right to die of old age if hard work will kill him!

On the other hand, it should be said that some men of God have learned to labor in the Holy Spirit and have thus escaped both idleness and death-by-exhaustion, and have lived to a great age. Such men were Moses and Samuel in olden times and men like John Wesley, Bishop Asbury, A. B. Simpson and Pastor Philpott of more recent times.

These wrought mighty deeds without injuring their constitutions, but not every man has been able to find their secret!

A. W. Tozer