May 7 - Overseer

May 7 - Overseer - 1 Timothy 3:1-7

There are 15 qualities in these verses that Paul says a church leader (overseer) must have. This is not a position to desire lightly. Yet, the taste of power tends to draw many into positions of leadership within the church and when that happens, the church itself suffers. It is nearly impossible to divorce our human will from the will of God sometimes, but to further God's kingdom, Paul says this is important!

The church leaders should be 1) above reproach - no one should be able to accuse him of anything, 2)have one wife (whether or not this means divorce is not understood), 3) temperate, 4) self-controlled, 5) respectable, 6) hospitable, 7) able to teach - able to understand and teach the Scriptures 8) not given to much wine, 9) not violent, 10) gentle - making room for others 11) not quarrelsome, 12) not a lover of money - nothing done in ministry will be for personal gain, 13) manage his family well (the words 'with proper respect' may be translated that the parent raises his children in a respectful way), the implication being that the fruit of his home will also be the fruit of his ministry in the church, 14) not be a recent convert - quick advancement will lead to pride, 15) in good reputation with outsiders - as a representative of God's church he must be able to live a life that draws people in and does not disgrace the church.

I could preach for hours on any of these attributes, but the thing is ... we all know when we fail miserable, we just don't seem to either care or we are too embarrassed to repent when our behavior is less than admirable. What Paul emphasizes over and over is that our behavior as leaders will either raise up a church or bring about its downfall!

Rebecca says:
It is easy for me to go through that Diane's list and start checking it off with yes and no. I tend evaluate. Today I realized that I am a bit overconfident and quite often spill over into the side of arrogance because of it. So, when I go through this checklist of qualifications, I am not easily intimidated because God has brought me through so much, that in my mind and heart I know that if He wanted, He could and would enable me to 'stand in high places' just as He promises.

Herein lies my problem. God makes it so easy to stand in those high places. While He is not self seeking, and requests no recognition, this flesh of mine does. It is so easy for me to become prideful and arrogant and even a bit cocky.

I had an inflatable snowman in my yard at Christmas. When he was plugged in and the air was pumping into him he stood tall and you could see him 2 blocks away, but once that cord was unplugged he melted into a pile of nylon. When he became buried under the snow, he was quite insignificant. That is all we are in the big scheme of things - little nylon snowmen. God's breath makes us above reproach, temperate, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, all those traits Paul mentioned. The minute we try to walk away and we disconnect from our power source we begin to fall as quickly as my yard decoration.

That is really all that was happening with these teachers and 'certain men' that Timothy was sent to talk to. "Some have wandered away" (1 Timothy 1:6). It is easy in a role that radiates power to get caught up in it, to become puffed up instead of merely filled with His breath and sustained. Timothy was not there to disgrace and annihilate, the goal of the command was love. Timothy was an extension cord to remind them of who God is and who they are not and reconnect them to their source so the church could grow and flourish.

That snowman was only useful for a season. There came a day when I unplugged it and packed it away. With every calling we are given, whether it be an overseer, a teacher, a nursery worker, or even a friend, we are there only for the season He ordains. But if we are disconnected and walking around puffed up by our own hot air, we will never know when the season is over. We will end up being the proverbial snowman in spring, out of a place and a mockery to the neighborhood which is God's church.

A noble task. Setting your heart on doing anything in any capacity for God is a noble task because that requires the grace of God for sustenance and growth. Confidence is good, self confidence is not. One relies on the breath of God, the other on our own hot air. I believe that if we can ever look at the task set before us and easily say 'I can do that,' we foolishly head down the yard ornament walk of shame.

God may not seek out recognition, He might easily stay in the shadows because He is not self seeking but with everything we are given in this life, every task, every role, every blessing, if we are blessed enough to become an overseer or a teacher or a nursery worker or even a friend, the goal in all of it, in every command is still love that never changes. When we use the roles and callings as little stages for that love then God cannot stay in the shadows. He is recognized and glorified and the world is better because of it. That snowman brought smiles to the people that passed by, and so can we when we stay plugged in. It is a noble task but one we are very, very blessed to be a part of.