In 1 Timothy 3, Paul highlights the requirements of church leaders. But it really holds valuable instruction for each of us.

 

1. Be above reproach.
Being above reproach involves setting boundaries that keep you from being accused of wrongful behavior. If you lean toward impure thoughts you might  decide not to even click on those “curious” internet links. If you are attracted by riches you might purposefully  redirect your eyes away from the ads that tell you “more is better.” It might mean setting a boundary of what you confide in the office gossip room. Being above reproach calls for living a transparent life, open to all, nothing hidden. Such a life approach asks, “Would I be comfortable having my private thoughts and actions played out in public?” Being above reproach questions our motives for getting ahead and how we invest our lives. It’s God’s call on each of us who seek to follow him alone.

 

2. Be temperate and self-controlled, not given to excess, not a lover of money.
We might ask, “What’s wrong with excess? If you have it, flaunt it. If God blesses, live to the extreme.” While God does call us to a radical life, the part that is radical is our full and complete devotion to him. Our temperateness keeps everything else at bay that might compete for his attention. It is not our possessions that are the problem. It’s our love of more things that possess us that creates conflict within our soul.

 

3. Be respectable, hospitable, gentle, not quarrelsome, be able to teach.
We’re each called to live in harmony with others to the degree possible. Hospitality and gentleness may be seen as weakness by some, but when they are surrendered to God he makes them to be strength in our lives. It’s easy to become quarrelsome, isn’t it? For some, every conversation seems like an invitation to disagree and divide. But that’s not God’s plan for you and me. His good plan is that we are girded in his truth, able to teach others, and respectful, hospitable, and gentle in our ways. (Dear God, reveal in my life how to bear the marks of your gentle spirit!)

 

4. Be a leader in the family.
Some think there is only one leader in a family. But really, we each have a leadership role. As a father, mother, child, sibling, or grandparent, we each are called to take a leadership role in creating and nurturing a loving family; both our nuclear family and our community family.

 

5. Be mature and seek maturity; have a good reputation.

Even adults have to be reminded to “play well in the sandbox.” We have this tendency to seek our own ways that cause us to behave, not as innocent children, but in childish ways. Seeking maturity means someone has to be the adult in the situation. The call to mature thinking and behaving is one that is placed on each of our lives. At some point we need to rise above “the boys and their toys” level of thinking and seek godly maturity and a good reputation that reflects God’s love and compassion to a hurting world.

 

6. Keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience; be worthy of respect.
What guides us through all our difficult paths? What holds us true to our course? It’s holding onto the deep truths of faith and applying them to every aspect of our lives: our work, our play, our families, our politics, and our life ambitions. Whether others agree with you, we should live lives worthy of their respect.

 

Living well isn’t a perfect path for any of us but it calls us to change direction when we’re headed the wrong way. It requires diligent focus. It’s the opposite of going with the flow or chasing the American Dream. Really living well is living with your legacy in mind – every day and in every interaction. Let today bear the marks of a life lived well.