August 29, 2017
The overseer must… manage his own family well. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? A deacon must… manage his children and his household well. 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12 (NIV)
A man’s ability to lead others will be seen in the way that he manages his own home. Every home has its pressures and its problems. This is not saying that if there is stress in a man’s personal life he should not be a pastor or an elder.
The key issue is a man’s ability to manage his life and to give leadership to his family. How does he manage his own household? Is there order in his home or is it chaotic?
Every home is chaotic at times but God brings order out of chaos, and an effective leader has the ability to do that as well. If a man cannot bring order to his own home, how can he bring order to the house of God? If he cannot manage his own life, how can he help in the lives of others?
This is where hospitality (3:2) comes in. A disordered home will usually be closed to others. The well-managed home will be one where others are welcome. The man who will be effective in leading the church as a pastor or elder will be a man who manages his own family well. Are his finances well-managed? Is his home well-ordered? Do his children respect him?
There’s an order here: Begin by managing yourself. As you grow in that, you will do a better job of managing your family. Build success there, and you will grow in usefulness to Christ. The principle is simple: The one who is faithful with little can be trusted with much (Luke 16:10).
How are you doing at managing yourself?