The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Timothy: An Unlikely Leader
Nothing can make someone more unlikely—even unwilling—to lead than feelings of inadequacy.
Timothy, the young protégé of the apostle Paul, must have felt much as Moses did when God called him to lead Israel out of Egyptian captivity. Moses felt inadequate for the task, and likely so did Timothy.
We can identify any number of reasons that Timothy might have felt unfit to accept his assignment as pastor of the Ephesian church. He was too young and too inexperienced, and the church seemed too large for a first pastoral assignment. Besides, how could he take over for the church’s founder, Paul? Would anyone take him seriously?
“Never mind all that,” Paul tells him in his letter. “If you follow my instructions, you will be more than able to do the job. Don’t let anyone look down on you because of your relative youth and inexperience. Rather, be the kind of example of godliness that won’t allow anyone to treat you with anything but respect.”
God doesn’t necessarily choose leaders based on their natural talent or ability. Neither does he always choose them based on their age and experience. As Paul tells Timothy, God chooses leaders based on their availability, not their ability; on their willingness to walk in obedience to him, not their experience.
Taken from The NIV Maxwell Leadership Bible.