The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God. – 1 Chronicles 9:13

Today's Scripture Reading (June 30, 2025): 1 Chronicles 9

A colleague of mine passed away recently. He was an excellent pastor but spent a life fighting his various disabilities. And I am sure that there were people who looked down on him because of his limitations and the way he looked. I am also sure that there were people who looked at him and never gave him a chance. I think that these people who rejected him and refused to give him an opportunity robbed themselves of having a wonderful person in their lives; their prejudice made them less. In demeaning my friend, they ended up only demeaning themselves.

Having said that, it wasn't that long ago that someone with a visible disability, even if it was something as minor as having a lazy eye, was disqualified from being part of the clergy. In some places and sections of the church, women are still excluded from holding positions of leadership within the Christian Church. Part of the reason for this exclusion is the misguided belief that they aren't strong enough to do the job. Ministering God to the people was a job that required strength. It needed men who could minister with strength and authority. And we mistakenly began to believe that excluded some people.

I have long taught that we need to recognize the strength of the women who came before us. Regardless of our beliefs about strength and the need for able men, much of the progress that has been experienced in areas once called "the mission field" was possible because of the strength of women who entered these areas early in history and won the hearts of the people. Yes, being a pastor or a missionary requires a great deal of strength, but excluding people with a disability or because of their gender is a significant mistake.

As Chronicles begins to tell us about the early priests, the author refers to them as "able men." While accurate, the phrase is also somewhat unfortunate. Elsewhere, when we are not discussing priests, the exact phrase, translated as "able men" here, is rendered as "mighty men of valor." I'm not sure about you, but given the choice between being called "able" or a "mighty person of valor," I think I would like to be known as a mighty person of valor. It also describes several pastors and missionaries that I know, and it is a list that includes women and my recently deceased colleague. These people are not merely able; they are mighty people of valor because anyone who was any less would have never been able to complete the tasks that God had laid on their strong shoulders.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 10