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18. The laborer is worthy of his reward. 1 Timothy 5:18, KJV. In chapter 5, Paul instructs Timothy to treat fellow believers as members of God's family, showing respect to older men and women and purity toward younger women. He explains how the church should care for widows while emphasizing family responsibility. Paul then teaches about honoring faithful elders, handling accusations fairly, avoiding favoritism, and exercising wisdom in leadership decisions. Throughout the chapter, he stresses integrity, compassion, and responsible Christian living. Regarding today's verse, Paul takes this from Deuteronomy 25:4, which says not to muzzle the ox that is treading out the grain. A preacher, compared to the ox, should have his labor rewarded with fair compensation, and nothing should be withheld from the benefit of his work for Christ. A true preacher of Christ has given up all personal ambition, keeping Christ as the source of his message and submitting all authority to Christ as Lord and Savior. He rejects human approval, remains focused on Christ as the giver of every good thing, and puts God's will before his own. He places all reliance on the Spirit and the Word of God, giving up all trust in his own wisdom and knowledge. Anything that could come between the preacher and Christ is forsaken. We as preachers are here for such a short time, and eternity has no end. Let nothing come between you and Christ. Practical application for believers: treat believers like your family, pray regularly, respect faithful church leaders, and treat everyone with dignity. God sees your struggles and your faithfulness. Lessons learned: the church is a spiritual family, and God does not play favorites. Care for those in need, pray always, and guard your faith in words and actions; this is a Christian responsibility. God sees all you do for Him, and everything you do matters to God. Amen.