August 25, 2017
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness… 1 Timothy 3:2-3 (NIV)
You see wise judgment in words like: temperate, self-controlled, respectable (3:2), and “not given to drunkenness” (3:3).
- Temperate
Be thoughtful. Don’t make rash or impulsive decisions. Be watchful and vigilant, in your words and in your actions. - Self-controlled
You do that by developing self-control, which is the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control means that with God’s help you increasingly master your life, your tongue, your moods, and your passions. - Respectable
Living in this way will cause others to hold you in high respect. - Not given to drunkenness
This belongs here under wisdom, because drunkenness makes these other qualities impossible. A person who indulges in much wine loses his self-control, and with it, the respect of others. He is unable to exercise wise judgment.
In discerning who should lead, look first at wise judgment. Look at the decisions in a person’s life. Do they bear the marks of wisdom? Look at what a person has said or done, the positions they have taken in times of difficulty. Do you see wise judgment?
The ability to lead others begins with leading yourself. Here’s a goal: Make wise decisions in your own life, so that God may trust you with making decisions for others.
Rate these qualities in your own life from 1 (strongest) to 4 (weakest). Ask God to help you grow in the area of judgment.