1 Tim 3:2

"Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach."

In a short note, this might be my last walking meditation in a while as I sprained my ankle (for the first time ever, never thought it would happen to me) while playing soccer with the boys. I realize what people talk about when they feel their ankle pop. Mine did and it was horrible. I get to write this while I sit home with a day off unable to walk. My wife encouraged me to rename the blog "Laying with Timothy", but then we both realized this was probably not appropriate!

The moment I read this verse, this thought popped into my head. "This is where desire meets reality." The last verse we looked at the nobility of setting your thoughts on such a high position, a position of such responsibility, a position of such service. It is good that men have these desires, but here Paul reminds Timothy, the desire is good, but it takes more then desire to lead in Christ's Church. Here is what it takes........

While Christ of course, gives all of his believers freedom to make choices, free to make mistakes, free even to decide to choose sin against him. Here is something I believe in which he does not want to give Timothy and for that matter any church freedom. Here Paul spends the next 10 or so verses be very specific on the qualifications for leaders within Christ's church. Here the rubber hits the road. It is great to desire, it is better to deliver. Believers who desire to lead in the church need to deliver a godly character. Here Paul tells Timothy what that looks like and he leaves little room for Timothy to move within his established desires. Here is what a leader after my heart looks like, the only type of leader who should follow after me in leadership. This is what I hear the Lord saying through Paul.

In this verse, Christ through Paul eliminates all "wordly" standards for leadership. Even all "churchly" standards that regretfully mingle in ever so gently into our evaluation of individuals. He never talks about money. Being a "VP" of a company has no bearing to the Lord.(Though management skills are valued) He's not a fishing buddy of the pastor or someone who has a great sense of humor (Even though the church needs more who do at times!) God says, your standards, because of your nature tend to be flawed. My standards are never flawed. Use Them!

One more noble thing about this process is the noble task of being one who selects God's leaders. As Timothy is hearing this, I imagine him reading with a great sense of almost foreboding responsibility hanging over him. This is quite a list. Does such a man exist! Either way it is my responsibility to do my do diligence in searching for them. Finding the men who will lead God's church along with him is a task of utmost importance. A task that will forever effect the church and forever effect him as he serves with these men.