“A
bishop then must be…of good behavior, hospitable…” (1 Timothy 3:2 NKJV)
It is
difficult to think of our Good Shepherd, Jesus, without associating Him with
kindness. Certainly, He could be
forceful—and even angry at times. But,
whether lifting children into his lap, responding to the pleas of the hurting,
or showing compassion to the poor, the gentle touch of Christ with these lambs
is evident in His ministry.
If I am
to be the kind of shepherd God wants me to be, then kindness must exude from my
life. From my open heart comes open hands,
“good behavior” and an open home, “hospitable.”
Wiersbe
aptly says, “He should be a
real gentleman. He should love people
and enjoy having them in his home.”[1] Thus, the pastor
must be polite, have good manners and a proper decorum that befits his sacred
calling.
The
pastor must be caring and not careless. This
shows how he values people. He
recognizes these sheep belong to the Lord and were purchased at an incalculable
price! Love will be the soul-stirring
force in his life.
One mark
of this will be hospitality. He can
extend hospitality because he has the support of his wife, since he has proven
himself a leader in his home and demonstrated faithfulness to her. Company entertained in the house will find no
skeletons in the closet. He will not be
embarrassed by his children for his family life is in order. When there is kindness to the family in
private, it will likewise be evident in kindness to the flock in public.
A
PRAYER
Father,
May the
kindness of the Lord Jesus mark my ministry.
May it radiate from my home, so much that others will be drawn
there. Help me extend hospitality to
those who need a shelter. Make me responsive
to the loneliness of others. Give me an
open heart and an open home!
In the
name of the Good Shepherd, Jesus,
Amen.
[1] Wiersbe,
W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository
outlines on the New Testament (p. 626). Wheaton , IL
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