Timothy might not be the first choice for many churches today. If you read through the letters of First and Second Timothy, you get the impression that Timothy was not a natural leader. He battled fear (2 Timothy 1:7) and frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). Is this guy really going to be one of the pivotal leaders in the burgeoning church?
What is important to God
Looking back, we know the answer to this question is “yes.” We need to learn a lesson from this and ask: “What is important to God when we assess potential leaders in the church?”
If we are not careful, we will simply do things just like the world does. A pastor is not made by his education, his force of personality, his entrepreneurial abilities, his charisma, his administrative genius, or his physical prowess. A pastor is made by the calling and gifting of God, and a pastor is formed within the life of a local church by another pastor. God’s calling trumps man’s measures every time when it comes to selecting pastors.
The Lord looks at the heart
When God anointed David as king of Israel, this dynamic of outward appearance versus inward reality played out in dramatic fashion. God told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. Samuel gathered Jesse and his sons. He came to the first one, and he thought, “This must be the guy!” Something about his outward appearance was regal.
But God had another son in mind. The Lord told Samuel when he initially made this wrong assessment, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
The Lord looks on the heart, and he had chosen the son whom the father had rejected. Jesse had left his youngest son, David, in the field to watch the sheep. Imagine how David felt when he was called to this gathering, realizing that he was the only son his father had left out of consideration! Yet, God saw a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).
Timothy’s Weakness
That’s what God is after: men after his own heart to shepherd his people. Let’s not be taken in by how impressive some people appear on the outside, but let us value what God values: a genuine heart to do God’s will.
There is much implied about Timothy’s weakness when you read through Paul’s two letters to him. From outward appearances, he seems to be one who could have been passed over.
Timidity
Timidity shows up a few times. Paul tells Timothy not to let anyone look down on him or despise him for his youth (1 Timothy 4:12). In other words, he was encouraging Timothy not to let people ignore him, even if he was on the younger side.
He also wrote to Timothy, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). The implication was that Timothy was battling fear or timidity in confronting the false teachers. He wasn’t a “natural leader,” but Paul reminded him that God had gifted him for this and that God’s spirit was in him to do it.
Physical Ailments
Timothy also battled recurring ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). We are not sure exactly what these were or what they meant, but it seems he had issues with his stomach. The implication is that he wasn’t physically impressive. Rather, there was a certain frailty in Timothy that concerned Paul.
Desire to be thought well of
Last, it seems that Timothy felt shame in the face of opposition to the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8-18). Timothy was tempted to be ashamed of the gospel and of Paul’s suffering for the gospel. This fits with his overall sense of timidity. It appears he had a desire to be liked or well thought of that could have interfered with his calling.
When we put all of this together, we have the picture of a conflict-avoidant, young man who often got sick and naturally shied away from exerting his leadership authority.
Timothy’s Strength
Yet, that’s not the whole story. God had chosen Timothy and empowered him by the Spirit for this calling. In Timothy’s weakness, Christ was strong on his behalf. God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
So what did Paul see in Timothy?
Called and Gifted by God
Paul encouraged Timothy to fan into flame the “gift of God.” This gift was given to him through the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6). God chose Timothy for the task he was given and had gifted him spiritually for his ministry. There were also prophecies concerning his gift (1 Timothy 4:14). This calling and gifting in Timothy and in the leaders we train are far more important than natural talent or strength.
Humble with good character
God wants humble leaders with good character, not prideful people. Paul told one church that Timothy had proven his worth (Philippians 2:22). He told another church that Timothy was his “faithful child” (1 Corinthians 4:17). Paul also said that Timothy had served him faithfully, like a son with a father. Timothy was humble, and Paul had full confidence in him because of this. Faithful and humble service is what God seeks from those who serve his church.
Love for God’s people
Timothy loved God’s church. Paul told the Philippians that he had no one else like Timothy who had a genuine concern for their welfare. What he meant by this was that Timothy would look out for Jesus Christ’s interests, not his own (Philippians 2:20-21). He also told the Corinthians that Timothy was doing the Lord’s work (1 Corinthians 16:9). God desires shepherds for his church like this: those whose primary concern is for what Jesus wants for his people. There’s no amount of natural gifting or ability that can substitute for that.
Sincere faith
Timothy possessed a sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5). In other words, Timothy was not a hypocrite; his life and doctrine aligned with the gospel and the truth of God’s word. Paul said the aim of ministry was love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Timothy possessed all these qualities.
Making Room for Timothy
We need to make room for the Timothies in our churches. Don’t just pick the strongest, smartest, most articulate people as your leaders. Like Samuel, pick the one God picks. Sometimes God’s man is the one who seems weak, hesitant, or insignificant in his current context. Yet, you will recognize him by his spiritual gifting, calling, humility, love, and faith. Help him fan into flame the gift of God. Give him opportunities to develop. Then rejoice that God’s power is displayed through his weakness.
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