To Manage is to Serve

Today’s reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-16

“He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? ... Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.” - ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3:4-5, 12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Amid all these qualifications for elders and deacons (lead servants of the church), we see these descriptions toward the end of each list.

A real test of any leader is how they treat their family and what they act like in their safest space. Do we treat everyone at work and school with kindness but disrespect the ones who seemingly are “stuck with us?”

The word for “manage” is proistēmi, and Jesus used a version of this word when he said in Luke 22:26:

“Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and  the leader as one who serves.”

So to “manage” your family is “serve” them. It is to guide them to Jesus with your words and your life. No days off. No excuses.