What Kind Of Pillar Are You?

I have come to the conclusion that if you attend church, you are a pillar in that church. There are however two different types of pillars.

The first being a pillar that supports, strengthens and carries the weight of the church. This type of pillar is involved. They serve in ministry in one way or another. They use their strengths to build up the church and to encourage others to do the same. They give financially to support the ministry. They grow in knowledge through the study of scripture. They pray for their pastors, the congregation and the lost. They ask God for wisdom and understanding and then invest it in the lives of others. Because of their commitment and passion the church is stronger. It stands, functions and thrives.

The other pillar is a caterpillar. They crawl in and out every week sucking the life out of the church. They devour what's offered and give nothing back. They are usually the complainers and the disgruntled. They always find the problems but never seem to seek solutions. They expect the Sunday morning sermon to always be for them. They want the songs they like for worship. The caterpillar seems to have no responsibilities for their own growth, that's the pastor's job. The caterpillars only job seems to be consumption, critiquing, and criticizing. They drain the church, from the pastor to the ministry volunteer.

I'm sure I have used a very broad brush painting this picture. Most people probably fall somewhere in between. I feel like I have fallen under both categories at some point in time during my christian journey. I was the caterpillar in the early stages of my walk. It was all about me. It was everyone's responsibility but my own to grow me spiritually. I gave nothing and took everything. As I matured as a believer I grew to become heavily involved and served in many different ways. I gave, I studied, I prayed, I invested in others. I eventually found that line that is called 'too much of a good thing'. I crossed it and burned out. The recovery process has been slow. I now kinda feel like that caterpillar again. I crawl in and out every week devouring the coffee, the worship and the message and then crawl out. I give financially, I pray, I study and I invest in others but I am not serving in a ministry inside the church. I don't feel led to do so but I see the same few doing it every weekend. Is burn out around the corner for them? Am I sucking the life out of them? Am I a caterpillar? Am I a pillar? Somewhere in between? How about you?