“Good standing is directly tied to our willingness to serve.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 18, 2025
For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:13, ESV
To borrow the phrasing from 1 Timothy 3, “good standing” is a pursuit that most of us give ourselves to over the course of our lives. In grade school, we may pursue good standing by making the starting lineup on a sports team. In college, we seek good academic standing by excelling in our studies. In our professional lives, good standing is typically achieved through promotions and raises. Yet what each of these has in common is an underlying assumption that good standing is gained through accomplishment, personal productivity, and the value you bring to the team or organization.
For the Christian, good standing is directly tied to our willingness to serve.
Though the specific context of 1 Timothy 3 is tied to the ordained ministry of a deacon, there is a truth in these words that applies to all who belong to Christ. The good standing of our leaders is not tied to their level of education, their eloquence of speech, or their organizational abilities. The ministers who serve in our communities of faith are honorable because of their heart of service and willingness to lay down their lives for Christ and his people. In this way, they are modeling by example the way of life that every single Christian is invited to embrace and take up as their own.
When virtually every area of life is built upon our ability to promote ourselves and prove our worth, the Christian call to servanthood requires a radical reorientation of what we value and where we look for worth and meaning. Radical service isn’t meant to be the exception but is the norm. The way of humility is the way of truth. The path of power and prestige is a mirage and fleeting illusion, here today and gone tomorrow. And yet, it is a powerful illusion that constantly beckons to us, inviting us to believe the lies it tells. As such, we must daily reorient our hearts and minds to the truth of Christ, who, in his sacrificial love, is the model and example of perfect humanity. By his grace, let us seek the good standing that comes from a life of faithful service.
Prayer
Father, turn our hearts toward the freedom and joy that is found in giving our lives away for the sake of others, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
How can you gain good standing in your life in this season, not according to the standards of this world, but good standing in keeping with the example and humility of Christ?
Related Reading
Mark 10:43-45; John 12:26; Galatians 5:13
Worship Resource
Passion, Landon Wolfe: The Lord Will Provide
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