The Character of a Leader

Titus 1:8 - But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate

    The kind of man that Titus was encouraged to keep alert for was someone who had notable but, very often, overlooked virtues. Sadly, it seems that, when we look for leaders, we look for the high-powered, executive type, or a charming and sophisticated diplomat, or maybe we think we need the dominant, task-oriented person. But when God looks for leaders, he looks for an entirely different set of qualifications. Like the time when he saw the heart of a king within a shepherd-boy named David, God pursues men who, frequently, have unassuming credentials.

    Why would God stress the fact that a leader must be a lover of hospitality? I believe it is because the church is first and foremost all about relationships. We are the body of Christ, undeniably and organically linked together. Paul writes in another place that when one member of the body suffers then all of the members suffer with it. We are a spiritual body, therefore we affect and influence each other in ways which we may not be aware of. If I am committed to the church, then I am committed to people. People are what we, as churches, exist for. We want to reach, interact and share life together with the precious people of our communities. One who is a lover of hospitality is one who takes pleasure in opening up the home to include people of every walk of life. Our homes and our churches need to be places that are fond of guests and welcoming to strangers. That element is a good starting place for reaching others and for providing a safe haven from the storms of this life. If the leaders of a church have this trait then our churches will be known for their warmth and friendliness. In the day we live in where most of us have retreated into the privacy and comfort of our homes, a revival of hospitality is desperately needed.

    A.W. Tozer once wrote that, ‘The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, never toward the fruitful field’. In other words, in this fallen world, fruitfulness is not automatic. If we want something good to be produced in our gardens or in our churches, we must cultivate it. Everything in nature tends toward the wilderness, if you do not believe that, then, simply neglect your flower beds for a season. Good leaders are those who intentionally love and promote good things, and they provide a healthy and safe environment so that people can flourish and become all that God desires for them.

    In an age of lightness, looseness and laziness, to meet people who are sensible and serious about their life and calling, is like a breath of fresh air. While all godly leaders value what it means to have a sense of humor, they also understand that there is a sobriety about life that cannot be trivialized through constant joking. There are those who laugh and joke and flit and flirt their way through life, never amounting to much. As stewards of the house we must realize the urgency of opportunities that are presented to us. People come into our lives and they go out of our lives and we may never have another occasion to share the true meaning of our life with them. Years ago I read a statement that a Christian man had on the back of his business card, it said, ‘If you meet me and forget me, you have lost nothing, but if you meet Jesus and forget Jesus, you have lost everything’. As men of God, let us stand up tall, square our shoulders and walk forward, leading God’s family with dignity and gravity.

    The world we live in has become increasingly jaded and unjust and alarmingly partial and unfair, so, the church needs to stand out in striking contrast. Our leaders must be fair, unprejudiced and righteous before God. A person cannot be biased and still remain principle-centered and fair. To be an elder in the house necessitates impartiality, objectivity and open-mindedness. Like a judge entering the courtroom, we must approach all decisions without a predisposition and all individuals without respect of persons. If we are indeed men of justice and righteousness, then we will treat all people with kindness and due regard.

    Holiness is a word that conjures up all kinds of images; the angry and judgmental preacher in the old Western movies, young ladies who are told to wear long skirts and have plain hairstyles, and others, who do not drink coffee, go to the movie theatre and certainly never seem to smile. What does it mean to be holy? While holiness will definitely affect and alter our lifestyle, it is more of an attitude than an action. To be holy is to be set apart for a particular purpose or use. My life is not my own, I am bought with a price and I belong to another. Because my life is sacred, then, as a leader, I am more precise and intentional about my choices and how I spend my time. Jesus once instructed his disciples, ‘don’t give that which is holy to the dogs’, implying that holy things are sacred and have a value that many, in this world, will never understand or appreciate.

    When steel is tempered, it is strengthened through an intense process of heat that causes it to be less brittle and more pliable. God’s men are tempered through a similar process with the equivalent result. Strength through flexibility is a desired attribute in any leader. When a man is temperate, he responds to difficult situations and challenging people with calmness and balance. Knee-jerk reactions and outbursts of hot tempers have no place in the overseer’s life. Jesus demonstrated this kind of self-control perfectly, as he stood uncompromisingly before Pilate and didn’t allow himself to say a single word; there was no hint of self-defense and no desire for vengeance.

    May these godly qualities be infused into our lives as men, for we are husbands, we are fathers, we are pioneers of faith and we are beacons of light in a dark world. Arise and Shine!