“In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.“
“Excuse me!” I called. “Waiter!” My wife and I had taken our kids out to dinner. We’d had good food, lots of fun, and it all ended with ice cream. Now it was time for the bill. Except that I hadn’t seen our waiter in what seemed like forever. My kids (who were three and five), now with nothing to keep them occupied and just past their usual bedtime, were literally bouncing in the booths with boredom. “Waiter, can we please have the check?” I asked. The check soon came, and another fun family night drew to an end.
The word “deacon” in the Bible is very similar to the modern word “waiter.” The first deacons in the Bible were chosen in Acts 6. Their assignment was to make sure that all the donations of food that came into the church were given out fairly. Basically they ran the church’s food pantry. It was a basic role of service. They collected food and passed it out, then collected food and passed it out again. But through their faithful service the influence of those first deacons grew. They became a living example of what Jesus had taught when he said “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).
Here’s your freedom for today: if you want to be great, learn to serve faithfully. Deacons became such an integral element of the leadership structure of local churches that Paul had to give directions for how to choose them. How can you serve faithfully in the local church? Will you serve in the nursery? Or be a greeter? Or volunteer in the food pantry? Finally, are you open to God increasing your influence as you serve faithfully? In some ways that might be the most important question you can ask.