The Merriam-Webster Dictionary tells us the word “appreciate” primarily means “a feeling or expression of admiration, approval or gratitude.” When you value something, someone, or a certain behavior, you want to say something. As they used to say a few decades ago, “You gotta let it out.” Express yourself when you sense value in someone who has blessed you or encouraged you, or maybe someone you see that just needs to be blessed by your words.
Perhaps somewhere in the swirl of the Covid-19 pandemic, we began to devalue so many things as unimportant or irrelevant. That is not healthy for us, personally or organizationally. There is much to value in our context if we look around and acknowledge how people have contributed to our journey of faith and struggle. It’s all part of loving one another.
No matter our age, there is a deep sense of approval we all personally cherish. It impacts how we view ourselves and others. It affects how we treat our spouses, our children, and our friends. Many people spend a lifetime looking for this kind of acceptance, and all it takes is the mature man or woman to say, “I appreciate you.”
When I served as a senior pastor or an interim pastor, one of the things I tried to do in each church was encourage the people to express their appreciation of other members. Imagine the impact of looking into the eyes of the “granny” and telling her how much you appreciate her making a dish for your family in a time of need. Imagine the power of the deacon, who bends over to the same height of a preschooler and says, “I sure appreciate how you honor your parents— they are proud of you.”
Since most of our churches have multiple generations, what happens if you give time in a service for sharing appreciation for someone who has impacted your life spiritually? On multiple occasions, I have seen this on full display. During more than one invitation time, I have seen big, burley men go to an aged, godly man who used to teach the boys’ Sunday School class. The men would place their hands on the shoulders of the aged one and, with tears, say, “Thank you. I appreciate what you did for me to make be a better man.”
It is interesting that people in churches who make it a habit to share their appreciation make a huge contribution toward that church being a healthy church, a welcoming church, a generous church. It’s as if the Lord has a special blessing for churches that bless one another and express appreciation for one another.
October is around the corner. That means it’s time to demonstrate appreciation for your pastor during Pastor Appreciation Month. Missouri is blessed by many good and faithful men of God who shepherd the people of God to live on mission with God. These men are under tremendous pressures today. 2020 was a game changer in ministry, and the way ministry is done today is significantly more difficult than 20 years ago.
I hope you and your church are already preparing something special for your pastor and his wife. Please don’t leave out his wife. They are partners together in the call. Use the month to express appreciation of your pastor. Make a video for your pastor that is a collection of people who testify that they are who they are today because the pastor taught them the gospel and the ways of God. Give your pastor a gift that lasts for the rest of his ministry, like a trip to the Bible lands in Israel, Greece, or Turkey. Send both your pastor and his wife on an extended time of rest. You get the picture.
Put a group together and plan a way to express your appreciation. Follow through with it and watch how the Lord blesses you for your thoughtfulness.
On a side note:
Allow me to share with you how much I appreciate you. So many of you have expressed kind thoughts toward my Sharon and your pledge of intercession for us both. Thank you. With the return of her internal melanoma, we were saddened by the news but hopeful with the Lord’s use of medical science to bring a treatment and, we hope, a positive outcome. We pray it is successful but won’t know until her appointment with the specialists the Monday before Thanksgiving.