October 10, 2022

Passage Read: 1 Timothy 3-4
Meditation Verse: 3:6

Thought

An overseer must not be a novice, or else he will become puffed up and fall into the devil's own judgment. The devil exalted himself to be equal with God, refusing to follow God's orders, even though he cannot actually go against anything God requires. Yet God gives him freedom to reveal exactly who he is and why he is worthy of judgment. The same is true for us: We have freedom to sin and prove that God is just in His judgment of us. So it is dangerous to put a young man, a new Christian in such a position of leadership. Lacking a foundation in God's Word and obedience to it, he will try to get by on his own wisdom and experience, and if any success appears to come from that, he will begin to think of himself more highly than he ought. And if no one knocks him down, he will become wise in his own eyes and unteachable to God. He will now consider himself equal with God, and come into the same judgment as the devil.

Application

Leadership requires full submission to God and His Word. To let someone who has not been tested and proven to be submissive to God's Word into leadership is to do a disservice to that person. Satan is not slack in his work. He is looking for someone to devour. So to set someone untested and immature in leadership is to put a big target on his back. It is unfair to that person and unfair to the congregation. I need to be careful to stand in awe of God and His Word, to guard myself and anyone who hears me. I do not serve myself, but God. If a leader, I am set there by God to do His will, not mine or the people's over whom I am set.