Have a read of 1 Timothy 3:1-13. It outlines all the qualities that someone should have if they want to be a good leader in the church. It’s all really good advice and something you should bear in mind if you feel God’s calling you in that direction. But for a lot of us, that’s probably not the case. We can’t all be church leaders, and God doesn’t call everyone to be a preacher or theologian. So does that mean we can skip over this bit of the Bible if we’re not being pulled in a leadership direction? Well, not exactly. In John 13:15, Jesus says ‘I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’ (NIV). As followers of Christ, every single one of us is called to live just as He did, loving and serving others, and living a life that glorifies and points to God. And most of those specific instructions in 1 Timothy 3 can be summarised like this: set a good example, be a person that others can look up to and respect, and show God’s love in action. We can’t and won’t all be leaders in His church, but we can all show the world what it means to be part of His church. In lots of small ways, we can be leaders to the world around us, showing everyone we meet what it means to live a Christian life, and making our whole lives a testimony to God.
What Now?
Next time you’re stuck in a queue, don’t complain about waiting. Use it as an opportunity to set an example to those around you. Start a conversation. Ask them how their day’s going, and take an interest what they say.
