1 Timothy 3: This is a true saying:
If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. 2 A church leader must be
without fault; he must have only one wife,[a] be sober, self-controlled, and
orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; 3 he must not be a drunkard or
a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money; 4 he must be able to manage
his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect. 5 For if a man does not know
how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God? 6 He must be mature in the
faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil
was. 7 He should be a man who is
respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced
and fall into the Devil's trap.
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Desiring to be the
top leader in my field, at the company, I took steps to get the title. I went
to leadership classes, speaking classes and refined the way I carried myself. I
knew perception was important, so I hung out with the higher-ups as often as I
could.
- I never once thought leading a church would be more important than a corporate pursuit.
- I judged preachers and pastors at a higher standard.
- I wondered if preachers and pastors wanted to be “excellent.”
Paul gave Timothy a
method of vetting out a church leader. He was probably addressing a problem
with “motive.” He gave a list of qualities that would narrow down the list. He
also gave a stern warning that required more observation, namely watching those
who would not easily be swelled up with pride and those who loved their
community so they would not fall into the Devil’s trap.
My Observations
- Church leadership should not be taken lightly by me or anyone else.
- My motives for leading should always be vetted out by the LORD.
- Anyone can be tempted by the Devil with pride, money, violence, drunkenness and mismanagement of the family or community.
Desiring excellence
for GOD may lead me to say, “maybe not me right now.” I mean if I am
mismanaging my family or doing anything else on this list, I may not be the
right fit for leading. BUT GOD has a plan for everyone.
HE does not look at
titles the way humans do. JESUS is the only High Priest. HE allows some people
to teach a group of people about our LORD and Savior JESUS, but the reward is
the same, namely eternal life. Any crown earned here on earth will be casted at
JESUS. I am glad GOD included me in HIS plan no matter the role.
Challenge
- What sticks out to you about this list and why?
- Why do you think the writer was concerned enough to send a warning?
- Will you seek to serve the LORD with the excellence you put into your other pursuits today?
