Portion of the Levites
18 “The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s offerings by fire and His [a]portion.2 They shall have no inheritance among their [b]countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He [c]promised them.
3 “Now this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep, of which they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. 4 You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep. 5 For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand [d]and serve in the name of the Lord forever.
6 “Now if a Levite comes from any of your [e]towns throughout Israel where he resides, and comes [f]whenever he desires to the place which the Lord chooses,7 then he shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. 8 They shall eat [g]equal portions, except what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates.
Once more, the Israelites have a reminder that it is their duty, even their privilege, to take care of those who minister before the Lord. Likewise, it is a reminder to us, that we must take care of those who are missionaries and pastors in our churches.
It is not a grudging duty though, it is our privilege to participate in the ministry. God has given all of us different gifts, and we must use them well, and use them as He asks us to, being generous rather than selfish and greedy.