Don't Be Hasty

“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.” (1 Timothy 5:22,24-25)

It can take a while to learn what another person is really like. Have you learned that lesson? Often, our first impressions are wrong. Someone who initially seemed like a good partner later turned into a back-stabber. Someone who initially seemed like a great leader later revealed that he was dishonest and lazy. On the other hand, someone whom you didn’t seem to have much in common with later developed into a life-long friend. It can take a while to learn what another person is really like.

That’s why the Bible encourages Christians to be patient and not be hasty in deciding whom we let influence us. While the sins of some people are obvious, the sins of others “trail behind them.” You don’t find out about them until later, once you’ve had the chance to really get to know that person. In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious, while the good deeds of others remain hidden for a while, before they truly come to light. So don’t be hasty.

The apostle Paul applies this wisdom to selecting men to be elders or pastors: “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.” In other words, don’t ordain someone as a pastor too quickly. Why? Sometimes troubling sins only come to light with time. Sometimes positive Christian qualities are initially hidden. Churches and denominations should have a careful, lengthy process for training and evaluating candidates for ministry. Better to wait and be sure than be hasty and be hurt.

Do you think that wise advice could be valuable for other relationships too? Don’t be hasty in deciding whom to marry. Take time to genuinely learn what that other person is like—both their sins and their good deeds. Don’t be hasty in following some leader or influencer. Take time to see what sins come to light in their lives and what good deeds eventually do or don’t appear.

It can take a while to learn what another person is really like. So don’t be hasty!

Dear Lord God, you care deeply about the people we surround ourselves with. Whether it’s our pastor or our spouse or our friends, help us not be hasty in selecting who will influence us. Amen.

Pastor Nathan