YOU RULE
1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12 NKJV
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Okay, so this is another kinda sorta clickbait devotional title. This happens to be the new tagline of Burger King and certainly speaks to our very me-centric culture. But the verses for today are regarding Christian leadership in the church.
Paul was writing Timothy about setting up leaders in the church. The word bishop is more accurately rendered overseer and is taken from the Greek words that mean upon and watchman. The bishop is someone who would look after and over the works of the church. So, this is definitely a leadership position. The word deacon implies servant and someone who would assist the bishops. But as we look at this word in context, it's obvious that the deacons were also in some type of leadership position.
The qualifications of bishops were fairly extensive, particularly as they pertained to character. It is interesting to note that in verses one through five, character traits were mentioned 11 times, and the ability to speak only once. The qualifications for deacons were not as stringent as the bishops, but all the deacon qualifications were character-related.
An interesting commonality between bishops and deacons centered around how they handled their homes. Before assuming any kind of church leadership position, both bishops and deacons were required to rule their homes well. Now, before the howls of protest begin from the ladies, the word rule warrants a closer look. The word rule is used in King James and the New King James translations, but the majority of translations use the word manage or lead. The scriptures are not advocating a dictatorship, but they are calling for leadership.
The principle is simple and one that Jesus spoke of in Matthew chapter 25. Being faithful and doing a good job in the little things qualifies an individual for bigger responsibilities. Paul echoes that sentiment in verse five, saying if a man can't oversee his own home, how can he oversee the church?
I realize that men have taken these verses and used them as a scriptural excuse to dominate their wives. But that is not the intent. A godly leader in the home will treat his wife and children with respect and love. And he will provide a good example so that his words and actions align. Good godly leaders at home set standards and the overall culture of the family. Godly husbands empower and serve, but when the proverbial buck stops, it stops with them, and they take responsibility for the household.
I do not know of anyone who is perfect in this area of leading and managing their households well, including myself, but I have seen these principles at work. There are no perfect families or churches, but there are strong families and strong churches that thrive under leadership that manages well.
APPLICATION
Over the 27 years that The Ark Church has been in existence, I have seen this biblical truth in operation. When interviewing candidates for leadership, we have done our best to bring the families into the interview process. No family is perfect, but we have been able to get a sense of how things are managed. Our track record has not been spotless, but we have been blessed with some wonderful leaders at all levels. Paul was inspired when he listed the qualities of good leaders. His inspired words are still true today.