2 Timothy 2:24

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach and be patient with difficult people.

Every Christian is a servant of the Lord, but in this verse Paul is particularly thinking of the responsibilities of church leaders. Clearly, they cannot serve the Lord if they are prone to pick quarrels, but more than that, they need to be kind to everyone. Kindness reflects the nature of Jesus. This doesn’t mean that church leaders should avoid debating with opponents or that they should side-step difficult situations – far from it. Church leaders are called to face the toughest of challenges but to do so with gentleness, warmth and kindness.

Being patient with difficult people has always been a fundamental requirement of church leaders. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he referred to them suffering fools gladly (2 Corinthians 11:19). I once heard it said that our calling is not merely to suffer fools gladly but to enjoy them enormously! Every community will include people who are challenging, and in our more honest moments, we might recognise that we ourselves can be awkward and difficult at times. We all approach life differently. Some are eager to keep everything the same as it has always been, and others are uneasy if things stay the same from one week to the next. Some enjoy traditional hymns, and others prefer songs that have been written within the last couple of years. Some are unhappy if things aren’t exactly the way they want them to be, and others are not that bothered. Leading any group of people is challenging, so every church leader must have a huge amount of patience.

We all need to be constantly kind and patient, but in church leadership this is tested to the limit. For many years, I have been involved in the selection of ministers and amid the many qualifications and requirements, I believe that kindness and patience are close to the top of the list.

Question

What would help you to become more patient with difficult people?

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for the church leaders who serve me. Fill them with your Spirit so that they will teach well and exercise their ministry with kindness and patience to all. Amen