Esteeming Godly Elders!

 An emcee at a large fancy gala dinner introduced the guest speaker as follows: "Rumor has it our speaker maintained a 4.0 grade point average and stayed on the dean’s list throughout his college career. Rumor has it that he was captain of the football, baseball, and track teams three years in a row. Rumor has it he has a waiting list of intelligent, attractive, and professionally accomplished women who have called asking him out on a date. Rumor has it he is able leap tall buildings at a single bound. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to meet and make welcome the man who started all these rumors – our speaker!" Like many people, this guy was highly esteemed – by himself! 

Let us think about esteeming the special group of servants in the church described as "elders." Under inspired guidance early Christians "appointed elders in every church" (or congregation). The apostle Paul implied the church is lacking something vitally important without qualified elders. In Titus 1:5 he reminds Titus: "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." Elders are clearly a vital part of God’s plan for His church. The kind of elders God esteems are described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Character traits and spiritual responsibilities include: "blameless, husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent (‘no striker’ - kjv), not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; rules (‘manage’- esv) his own house well ... take care of the church of God ... not a novice ... a good testimony among outsiders." This is not a rumor, and these are not suggestions. God expects there will be men of that kind of exemplary spiritual and moral character among us. He also expects and directs the church to recognize and support them in the most weighty task on earth. The sobering responsibilities placed on elders include: leading the church; watching out for and some day giving account for the souls of those under their God-given care; shepherding and overseeing the flock of God and leading by a good example; feeding and tending to the needs of the flock while watching for wolves (false teachers); exhorting and convicting the gainsayers and those who contradict sound doctrine (Hebrews 13:17 * 1 Peter 5:2-3 * Acts 20:28-32 * Titus 1:9). What an enormous job. What a soul-gripping responsibility. Would you want it? It must never be entered into lightly by those who accept it, nor be taken for granted by members of the church. Thank God some are willing, with God’s help and the congregation’s prayers and support, to take it on. Some in the church are quick to be "arm chair" elders. When an elder falls short or when they think the elders have made the wrong "decision," they criticize from the safety and comfort of a pew. Are we just as quick to esteem and encourage them when they do well? In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 God’s Spirit directs Christians to "recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake." Phyllis McGinley said, "Sticks and stones are hard on bones, Aimed with angry art; Words can sting like anything, But silence breaks the heart." Scripture is clear how Jesus feels about faithful elders – He will give them a crown of glory when He returns (1 Peter 5:4). Meanwhile, it wouldn’t hurt if we would give them our esteem and an encouraging word. May all God’s children take these things to heart.

 "The elders who are among you I exhort" – 1 Peter 5:1a 

        by: Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN