1 Timothy 3:4–5: “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?”

July 10th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Paul was outlining to young Timothy the qualifications he should look for when prayerfully selecting a church leader. The leader’s home life, like his personal life, must be a good example. Consistency between what is said and what is practiced is also in view here; simply stated, the walk must match the talk. Weaknesses in spiritual leadership have a way of showing up in many other areas of life, including finances, childrearing, and the general attitude in a home. It is only logical to ask how someone who cannot manage their home life well, be a model and help manage a whole church’s life? If he is unable to keep his own little family balanced, how can he help the families in the church lead others to salvation and growth.

The family of God is not much different from the family at home, which is both good and bad news. Someone said, “Remember Winston Churchill’s immortal words at the beginning of WWII? ‘We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills!’ That sounds exactly like our family vacation!” People in a church don’t just naturally get along; it requires a lot of attention to keep relationships flowing together. One wise church leader advised, “If you are looking for a perfect church and think you’ve found it, for heaven’s sake, don’t join it. You will mess it up for sure.” It takes far-sighted wisdom to steer both families and churches around the many rocky outcroppings of this 21st-century world. It begins with each one of us humbling and submitting ourselves before our Master and others.

“LORD, please give us discernment and wisdom to see and walk with You this day.”