1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 Timothy 3:1-7 (The Message)
Leadership in the Church
1-7If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he’s talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up. Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap.
Devotion: (Jen Bunch)
Leadership is such an important part of every aspect of our lives. We all are exposed to leaders in our work, our homes, at the store, and at church. We all have been under the leadership of both good and bad leaders in these various settings. Paul (the writer of the book of Timothy) had experienced these things, too, so he wanted to establish clear guidelines for those who would become leaders in the church. Because church leadership is so important – after all, leaders in the church are living out the message of the Savior of the world, and modeling for others what this relationship means – there are specific characteristics that must be met to engage in leadership (particularly at high levels) in the church. These characteristics are modeled by good leaders, and we should look for these characteristics in our leaders. However, I also like to look at these characteristics to help me model my own life. Even if I don’t have the calling to become a leader in the church, these are the characteristics that Christ wants for me in my life, too. I should work to be calm, cool, hospitab le, gentle yet not thin-skinned, and not put money as a high priority in my life. I should also work to have a well-ordered home, and earn the respect of my children and to do things in moderation. Additionally, I want to continually cultivate my faith and grow deeper in Jesus, so that I will have the foundation to build upon in all of these areas.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for loving me and allowing me to have a relationship with you through your son, Jesus. May your Holy Spirit guide me to work on these characteristics in my life so that I might draw closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.