8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
self-controlled,
The idea of self-control is self-discipline. This leader is accountable. He monitors his desires and choices. The undisciplined leader does not have the right to oversee the lives of others. A disciplined leader lives a life of integrity.
PRINCIPLE:
A Christian leader must discipline himself.
APPLICATION:
A Christian leader must control himself. The idea of exercising discipline in life is not characteristic of Christians today.
An athlete disciplines himself to be the best of what he can be. It takes discipline to be a good leader of God’s flock. Whether people discipline themselves or not depends on their goal. If they want to be cross-country runners, then they will deprive themselves of delicacies. They do not live on banana splits.
Spectators who watch the race from the stands have different goals. They do not have to discipline themselves; they can get as fat as they please, but not the cross-country runner. If a leader wants to serve the Lord, he must make choices and relinquish his rights to certain things. Some things may be proper for others but not for the leader. A leader’s friends might do them, but not the leader.
Ga 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
