1 Timothy 3:1-7: a reflection

1This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work. 2The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; 3not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; 5(for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) 6not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Paul lists the qualifications for one who would be an overseer, a leader in the church; and what stands out is how little the list is about talent or skill. An overseer, he says, must be above reproach, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drinker, not violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, managing his own household well, of good reputation with outsiders. Almost every qualification is a matter of character, not ability.

Notice where the emphasis falls: on character. Paul does not require that a leader be eloquent, brilliant, charismatic, or impressive; he requires that he be a person of proven godly character, self-controlled, gentle, honest, faithful in his own home, above reproach. The one gift-related qualification, being able to teach, is nearly lost among the many marks of character. God's kind of leader is defined first by who he is, not by what he can do.

That reorders how we think about leadership, and about ourselves. We are prone to prize talent, skill, and impressiveness, and to overlook character; but God prizes character above ability. The person God is looking for to lead his people, and indeed the person God is shaping each of us to be, is marked first by godly character, self-control, gentleness, honesty, faithfulness, more than by gifts or achievements. Do not measure yourself or others first by talent and ability, but by character. Cultivate the character God looks for, self-control, gentleness, integrity, faithfulness in the ordinary things, for this is what God prizes, more than any gift. Character, not just gifting, is what makes a person fit for God's work; give yourself to becoming the kind of person God's list describes.

Lord, Paul's qualifications for a church leader are almost entirely about character, not talent: to be above reproach, self-controlled, gentle, honest, hospitable, faithful in his own home, of good reputation, more than eloquent or impressive. Reorder how I think about leadership, and about myself. I am prone to prize talent, skill, and impressiveness, and to overlook character; but you prize character above ability. The person you look for to lead your people, and the person you are shaping me to be, is marked first by godly character, self-control, gentleness, honesty, faithfulness, more than by gifts or achievements. Keep me from measuring myself or others first by talent and ability, but by character. Help me cultivate the character you look for, self-control, gentleness, integrity, faithfulness in the ordinary things, for this is what you prize, more than any gift. Character, not just gifting, is what makes a person fit for your work; help me give myself to becoming the kind of person your word describes.