Paul has told Timothy not to be hasty in appointing leaders in church. He recognises that this is a challenging task: how do you truly know someone’s character? How can you discern whether a person is genuinely qualified for spiritual leadership when some qualities—both good and bad—aren’t immediately apparent?
“The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.” – 1 Timothy 5:24-25
What is his advice?
- Look out for the obvious. There are neon signs. Impossible to miss ‘sins’. Even before the person is at the interview stage let’s say, their behaviours have preceded them. Don’t even consider their application, everyone knows, blatant errors and failures that disqualify them. However, for some their leadership selection is easier. Everyone can see they would be the right appointment. There is no denying they are the right choice.
- Look under the surface. Paul says for some their ‘sins …trail behind them.’ How do you discover pride, greed or jealousy? If they’re there then they will be concealed, so you need to dig to discover them. However, for some, they carry such humility and don’t draw attention to themselves that we can’t immediately see their qualities, but they won’t be hidden forever.
Take your time.
Ask around.
Pray for wisdom to see what God sees.
Missions Paul 