President’s Piece for Peace
Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have you noticed that families are comprised of those who have specific titles for the sake of identity and maintaining respect for those whom God has placed in positions of authority? The language that we use has a great deal to do with the image we have of those over us as well as the respect that is so much a part of our life under Christ. When I was a teenager it was not uncommon to hear someone speak of their father with the phrase “old man”. That phrase was not allowed to come from my mouth, for if it did, it may have been one of the few last words I would have spoken. It was not hard to see that those who used such a phrase would speak of their father or mother in a very negative way. It was very difficult to conclude that the speaker was in anyway appreciative or respectful of their parents.
The language we use is not only good for those who hear us but is also good for us as we use it. To use disrespectful language or even improper terms for those in authority over us only succeeds in creating a poor image in our minds of who these are whom God has given as a gift to us. In the work place we have bosses, supervisors, and foremen who are to receive our respect in word and deed. In the home the office of father, mother, grandparent, uncle and aunt are among those titles that deserve the very title it carries for the sake of order, honor and respect.
In the Church we have titles for the sake of the offices that God gives us as well. The title Pastor does not merely serve as a term so as to identify the man from everyone else. It is a title to define for himself who he is in the midst of those over whom God placed him. The German title for the office is Seelsorger, a word that defines the care of the pastor for the souls of God’s sheep. There is no danger in that word of the pastor becoming an overlord or a tyrant. The Holy Scripture prevents any such attitude on behalf of the Pastor. It is good for him to hear that term used about himself that he retain in his heart and mind the very purpose for which God placed him in the midst of the sheep. He is to speak to the soul the comforting words of the Gospel. He preaches the compassion of Christ from the Cross; he calms and soothes the hurting heart, caused by sin, with the Word connected to the elements of the Sacraments. To use the proper and biblical language of the Scriptures when speaking to and referring to your Pastor is good for him and good for you.
The Office of the Principal and Teacher is due the same respect and honor for which God has called and placed them. Not only do the students benefit from a proper understanding of these offices but so do the parents when they speak to their children about the activities of their school. With proper respect and honor classrooms are more fruitful, schools are training grounds of fine boys and girls in the Faith, Churches are places of rest for the weary soul and homes are a haven for devotions and prayer.
In the next edition of the IDE Today I wish to further this topic of language and the importance of using the language God has given us for the sake of our heritage, our daily life and our eternal life. Until then, God be praised and Glory be given to Him with respect and honor.
Brian Saunders, President IDE
