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God’s Standards
When Israel needed a new king after Saul, God told the prophet Samuel, “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Samuel 16:1). But even Samuel was fooled. When he looked at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, he naturally assumed God had chosen this noble young man as His anointed leader. But the Lord makes it clear in this passage that the people he chooses to do great things for him are called on the basis of inward character, not on the basis of outward expressiveness.
1 Samuel 16 verses 8-11 tell us that Jesse, David’s father, didn’t even include David in the line-up of his sons. He was an afterthought. But qualification for leadership is not measured by inches or pounds or degrees or background. God’s qualifications are evident in verse 7, when he tells Samuel, “Do not consider appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
While skills, intelligence, and hard work are all part of the package, God reminds us that—in the final analysis—one thing makes the difference: the leader’s heart.
Paul’s Advice
In 1 Timothy 3:1-12, Paul told Timothy to closely examine those who aspired to leadership. He required that such candidates pass the test of character. Before stepping into a leadership role ourselves or elevating others to leadership positions, we need to do some testing to see how well we or others measure up to the qualifications God has for leaders.
The summary statement for the entire list simply says, “The overseer is to be above reproach” (v. 2). A careful examination of the leader’s qualifications reveals someone who has their private (family) and public life in balance. This person exercises moderation and humility while maintaining a good reputation.
Paul also believed that those who enter the initial leadership role should “first be tested” (v. 10). The time to discover if someone can lead isn’t after they’ve assumed the role but before. That’s still the best policy today.