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READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27; 1 TIMOTHY 3:1-9\n\n\n\nHave you ever wondered what pastors do when they\u2019re not preaching, visiting people in hospitals, or doing other pastoral things? Some people seem to think pastors study and read the Bible all the time. While pastors do study more than most people because they teach God\u2019s Word at church, they\u2019re really just like anybody else. Jesus continues to work in the lives of pastors and help them get to know Him better, just like He does with other Christians.\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to be awed by someone who holds a church leadership position, and we might even start to assume they\u2019re some kind of superhuman Christian. But this isn\u2019t the case. Pastors need Jesus just as much as we all do! Even though church leaders have what the Bible calls \u201can honorable position\u201d teaching God\u2019s Word, they are regular people (1 Timothy 3:1). They have likes, dislikes, hobbies, trials, joys, families, and friends. They have temptations, they sin, and they need forgiveness\u2014 just like the rest of us. Simply put, pastors are people too.\n\n\n\nSo, get to know your pastors if you can, and pray for them. Remember that pastors have physical, spiritual, emotional, and relational needs just like we all do. They have their own questions and doubts and temptations and times when they don\u2019t feel connected to God. They need time to rest, and they need support and guidance and accountability from people they trust.\n\n\n\nEven though pastors are leaders in the church, they are still part of the church. And we all need each other. So, as you pray for the pastors in your life, you can ask God to provide for their needs and help them share His love with others\u2014including you. And you can also ask God to show you ways your whole church community, including pastors, can serve and bless each other. In this way, we get to reflect the same love Christ has shown all of us. \u2022 A. W. Smith\n\n\n\n\u2022 What pastors do you know? What assumptions have you made about their lives?\n\n\n\n\u2022 What are some ways you can pray for and show Jesus\u2019s love to your pastor(s) and your whole church community? Consider taking some time to pray and write down whatever comes to mind.\n\n\n\n\u2022 Pastors are part of the church, which the Bible sometimes calls \u201cthe body of Christ.\u201d Each of us is a vital part of the body, and as we abide in Jesus we learn to love each other well. If you want to dig deeper, read John 15:1-17; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:25\u201313:13; 1 Peter 4:8-11.\n\n\n\n\u201cIf someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.\u201d 1 Timothy 3:1 (NLT)