Read through I Timothy chapter one – but read it differently. How does Paul “lead” Timothy? This is a personal letter we are invited into by the Lord. Most of us read scripture from the vantage of how we may be taught in our lives without the full power of entering the story and becoming the characters. Sit in Paul’s chair and then Timothy, two men who worked together, are great friends and partners in ministry. One has mentored, “led” the other, and in fact is still leading him.
Setting is important in leadership. Understanding setting takes us deeper into the heart and mind of both characters. Timothy’s setting is as a spiritual leader of Ephesus. Apparently it is not an easy assignment.
What does that “not easy” assignment imply about assignments or “callings” from the Lord? Why does Paul leave Timothy there in Ephesus? How does the answer to that question communicate power to Timothy and to you in your setting?
Where have you been placed with a high trust that may be mostly off the radar, but is significant to the move of God, and to the lives of people all across the Kingdom?
Also notice from Paul’s writing, no assignment is ever unimportant and every assignment is for the move of the Kingdom. No assignment ever limits impact. A small church in a key city, a church with “issues” in a key city, would still have reverberations today. Apparently our assignment matters to the Kingdom and to the King!
More Specific to Chapter One
Leadership empowers others. Paul is empowering Timothy in this letter by stirring courage and passion. He fills him with vision and purpose and raises the bar. Leaders lead by stirring larger views of life, suffering, reasons for commitment and sacrifice. Leaders come along side when those they lead are losing passion and heart and stir courage and raise energy.
Leaders who lead well must be intentional encouragers and cannot be those who are sparing or withholding in their encouragement. The best leaders know that what gets celebrated gets done.
- Think of the places you lead. What are you celebrating?
- Think of the people you lead currently. What celebration have you done recently either as a group or personally?
- How does Paul encourage Timothy in chapter 1? Paul roots his encouragement for Timothy in his (Paul’s) own calling and authority. Timothy would know (as Paul refers to later in I and II Timothy) of Paul’s ministry, the passion, the successes and the suffering.
- Why is that important? What does that say to you in your encouragement of those you lead? (How does your story impact their story to bring passion, vision, hope and courage)?
Great post. I like the idea that leaders are encouragers and those who inspire us with their own story.
It can be hard for leaders to share their story. We can think we must be invincible, that showing our challenges, fears and moments less than our best is not leading. If we leverage our stories for others we may discover synergistic power!
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