It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 1 Timothy 3:1-3
When you look for leaders you may have a checklist of qualifications, right? Paul wrote Timothy and gave his the first few things to look for in overseers (bishops). Most are pretty obvious- but the word pugnacious is interesting, it is contrasted with gentle. It means quarrelsome or more accurately a ‘bruiser’. Ever worked for one of those? Of course, you want people in leadership to simply reflect the character qualities of Christ. Since the goal of the Christian life is to be like Him in word, thought and deed, doesn’t it make sense to choose leaders who are well on their way to be our models?
How well does my life match up with this checklist? What area can God develop, transform or refine?
God, what joy it is to know You and a privilege it is to lead, inspire, instruct Your holy people. I want to be above reproach, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine, certainly not pugnacious, and to be gentle peaceable, and free from the love of money. May Your Spirit work within my life as the Word of God changes me day by day.
