An overseer must be . . . hospitable, a lover of goodness, sound in mind, righteous, loyal, self-controlled.—Titus 1:7, 8.
Self-control enables us to keep our thoughts, speech, and actions in check. Jehovah “kept exercising self-control” in dealing with the Babylonian desolaters of Jerusalem. (Isa. 42:14) His Son ‘left us a model’ by exercising self-control during his sufferings. And the apostle Peter counseled fellow Christians to ‘supply to their knowledge self-control.’ (1 Pet. 2:21-23; 2 Pet. 1:5-8) Christian elders are expected to be self-controlled. Actually, all who are led by holy spirit can exercise self-control and can thus avoid immorality, vulgar speech, or anything else that could result in Jehovah’s disapproval. If we allow God’s spirit to produce self-control within us, this will be apparent to others because of our godly speech and conduct. w07 7/15 2:23, 24
