Becoming Leaders

1 Timothy 3:1-10 - Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.  Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.  They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

Wow…Paul doesn’t leave any room for weakness here.  Our leaders have one tough resume to prepare. Paul wanted everyone to know just how tough a job they were applying for….and wanted us to really  consider carefully who we place in the leadership roles that support our preaching staff.  Paul describes all the positive qualities we should look for in our overseers…bishops… deacons… elders….whatever term we use to address them…the moral character of these leaders should be above reproach.  We should see Christ evident in their lives…their walk should model all of these traits for us…their lives should show us what to strive for in our own pilgrimage of faith.

Truth is…we should all strive to fit these tough standards…they are really the qualities that mark us as faithful Christian men and women.  They do not simply appear in us at birth…and Satan tries his best to keep these traits from forming permanently in our personalities.  We must pray and study and ask God to refine us into this model Christian as we live each day.  We must passionately chase Jesus and imitate everything we do after the great model he had recorded for us in the bible.

I sure have a lot of work to do…I have failed many tests…and cannot say that I have mastered many of the qualities at the first of this list.  I am so thankful that God is still chasing me…still allowing me daily situations that help teach me…giving me time to reflect on which of these qualities can build my faith into a stronger commitment each day.  Satan is not tricking me as much these days…and the stronger I become….the more of these qualities that Paul lays out for us here that I can learn to master…the more power I will have to speak scriptures to Satan when he tempts me.

Father…I thank you for not giving up on me….even though I have failed so many tests…you continue to chase me….to give me ‘do overs’…‘second chances’…and help me to begin to get it right.  I am so sorry that I have been such a horrible student…I do not deserve any of your mercy and grace…but I thank you…thank you…thank you…for picking me up gently after I made my mistakes..and giving me the strength to admit I was wrong. Help me search for a way to do it right. Help me this day to recognize the tests you allow and stop and ask you to help me pass them this time…so you can begin to build in me the strong character traits that will make me a leader.  Amen.