Principle No. 4 (verse 21): “Employ these foregoing three Principles without partiality. In fact, lead without partiality. Said another way, as you lead, treat everyone the same.”
Now you may think that would be a very easy instruction to follow. But, please, think about this more closely for a minute. Examine your own heart. In your daily life and relationships, do you treat everyone the same? Do you really?
Most people tend to categorize the other people in their lives. As a result, they modify their behavior toward a particular person, either inwardly or outwardly, to match the category into which they have placed that person.
The categories can result from a variety of observed variables. Some categorize people by their nationality, or by the color of their skin, or by they way they look, or by the way they dress, eat, or speak, or by their level of education, or by the kind of work they do, or by the neighborhood in which they live, or by their relative poverty, or by their relative wealth, or by how agreeable they are, or by how disagreeable they are, or by their arrogance, or by their pomposity, or by their humility, or by their generosity, or by their greed, or by a host of other personal characteristics.
In my own life, to my shame, I confess to you that I have a very, very hard time treating everyone the same. In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit that I generally place people into one of three categories: those I love, those I feel neutral about, and those I don’ like very much. I find it easier to interact consistently well with those I love. The main criterion for categorization in my life is “trust.” Can I truly “trust” this person? Can I trust him or her to accept me as I am? Can I trust him or her to consistently support me when he or she talks about me to others? Can I trust him or her with my own unique brand of loyalty?
All those other reasons for putting someone into a category don’t mean much to me. But, “trust”—well “trust” means a lot to me. In fact, it means far more than it should.
But, so much for me and my sin. What’s your hang up? What keeps you from living a life of impartiality? You may not even be able to conceive that you function with partiality in your life. Let me assure you that you do. In fact, if you are having trouble figuring out where you draw a line of partiality in your life, just invite the Holy Spirit to reveal the partiality that plagues your life. He will gladly help you work through a process of self-discovery.
Our partiality, our living our lives in a way that treats different people differently, resides in us as a direct result of our sin nature. Only through life-transforming power from the Holy Spirit can we hope to enflesh the truth that Paul shares with Timothy in verse 21,
In the last few verses of this chapter, Paul gives some random closing thoughts.
First, let's look at verse 22.
Before ordaining a pastor, an elder, or a deacon, take the time to examine them to make certain they meet the qualifications that Paul has listed previously. Always bring someone into leadership very, very carefully.
And, do not allow yourself to share in the sins of others. If you observe someone around you sinning, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into that sin. Walk away. Or, said another way, “Keep yourself pure.” It takes a volitional act of your will to respond to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit warns you to turn from the sins of others, so you won’t be drawn in, by all means turn and walk away.
And, then we come to verse 23.
This is a particularly tough verse for me. I was raised in deep evangelical fundamentalism. Drinking alcohol in any form was absolutely forbidden. My godly grandmother served for over 30 years as a leader of the WCTU. That’s the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, for those of you too young to have ever heard of that organization. I grew up hearing story after story of lives ruined by drinking alcoholic beverages.
So, while I must strive to deal with a host of other types of sins in my own life, it seems a great deal more fair if I leave the appropriate exposition of verse 23 to some lifelong Presbyterian or Episcopalian, or Roman Catholic, or whatever. (chuckle) It seems to me that many of the Presbyterians in my current church just love Paul’s advice in verse 23.
Perhaps we will wrap up our walk tomorrow. How 'bout it? Does that sound like a plan?
Copyright © 2009 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.
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