”...not a wine-addict nor a bully, but rather gentle, un-macho, un-silver-loving...”
-Not a wine addict. In addition to maintaining level of self-control and sobriety, a shepherd/overseer must specifically not be a wino. Not addicted to wine or alcohol. The word in the Greek literally means, “beside wine”. Hanging out with wine, in other words. Instead of hanging out with Jesus. Addictions come in many shapes and sizes, but alcohol is surely among the most common, and pernicious. The propensity to escape to the bottle, to try and drown my sorrows or feel better about life through abusing alcohol is a pervasive problem in many a culture. And while this author is not acquainted with a compulsion towards alcohol of any kind, having never acquired a taste for it, we can both 1) affirm that the Lord’s bond-servant and any would be overseer must be generally free from being controlled by any created thing (be it a substance or some diversion), and at the same time 2) recognize that alcohol can and does produce devastating effects in the lives of those who abuse it (and those whose lives they touch). Alcoholism. Binge drinking. Drunk driving. Devastating. This question needs to be put to any would-be overseer - where are you with alcohol? And hanging out w Jesus?
-Nor a bully. A bully is someone who tries to intimidate others, usually those who are comparatively weaker (or easy) targets in order to get their way or (and) to feel better about themselves. They may use physical or verbal or psychological force (it becomes a form of abuse, really), all to enforce and maintain a me-first status quo. They are selfish, insecure (wounded-and-wounding) abusers. Me-first me-better in spades. Which is ironic, because usually they do not see themselves as better. They do not feel good about themselves. So they have an inordinate need to get what they want, and they use means which are not at all like those of Jesus, our Master/King Who humbled Himself and took the form of a slave to serve others, this One Who was humble in heart, and...
-Gentle (Matthew 11.29). Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth, said no one ever, save Jesus (Matthew 5.5). The world says, you want something, you gotta take it. You gotta go get it, grab for it. Grab for the gusto, grab what you can, first in line and first in my heart. Unlike Jesus, Who did not hesitate to describe Himself as gentle (cf Philippians 2.5-8). But for many in the world, you gotta dominate and extort things out of people. In order to channel me some Burger King and have it my way, I need to impose my will on the weaker. In contrast, gentle here is that which is reasonable, fair, mild. Not all leaders/masters are this way (1Peter 2.18). But in antiquity we see this word in eulogies, extolling the wise, meek and noble-minded man, the lenient judge, the kind king. Not one given to anger, harshness, brutality, or me-first. The ideal ruler. This is who we’re looking for, Timothy...
-Un-macho. The next word literally is un-macho. Machismo is that air by which I say to those around, I am a man. And I am strong, tough, powerful, indomitable. The macho man is a fighter, all-too-ready to fight at the slightest slight. You see this on the football field especially, but in many other arenas where men compete against men. Pride and egos worn on the sleeve, all-too-easily bruised and needing to be protected. Now this is not to say that a man does not or should not protect those entrusted to him from would-be ne’er-do-wells. He protects his loved ones. He takes the bullet, for sure. Wolves are everywhere - the shepherd lays his life down for his flock, there is no question about that. But the overseer’s reputation does not need to be protected or reinforced. He can and needs to be tough for the sake of the Truth and of his family and flock, but he does not need to be tough for the sake of his reputation or self-esteem. Almighty God has his back. He can go forth and lead gently and peaceably, and let the Lord take care of the fiery slings and arrows along with the malcontents and slow adapters. He can roll like Jesus, Who could have called down legions of angels but instead turned the other cheek and let Himself be mocked and ridiculed and disrespected for the sake of those who were to receive salvation. For the sake of the sheep.
-Un-silver-loving. Enthusiasms. Enthusiasms. Those things to which we give our heart. Our desires. What we want - and, more importantly, how much. It is how we define wealth, and how we use the worldy riches, aka “the wealth of unrighteousness” (Luke 16.9). There are those who are mastered by this temporal, earthly wealth, esp. the love of silver (i.e. money). They want it, they love it, they want more of it. By contrast, the would-be overseer must be one who has been mastered not by worldly wealth - but by Jesus. He defines wealth in different terms, and uses worldly means to lay up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6.20-21), to build up his faith and the faith of those around them. He must be one who has learned to be content with what he has. He can live on a little, he can make do. And more importantly, he can make friends for the Kingdom. He is free and able to use whatever resources the Lord may entrust to him for the sake of helping others begin to follow Jesus. But silver-lovers sadly are prone to wander away from the faith. Their hearts wander after the things of the world, to enjoy them, to possess them - and in the end those things possess them. Their possessions are in possession of their hearts. This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy having money per se, or the things it can afford me and my family - a nice house, etc - but these things are not ultimate. God is ultimate. And His Kingdom. And if God and His Kingdom are first and foremost in my affections, then money and the things it can buy become rather more a means to a greater eternal end. Thus we as God’s people are to make sure that our hearts are free from the love of money (Hebrews 13.5), and this must be especially true of overseers.
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