The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. - 1 Timothy 5:24
Earlier in his first letter to Timothy, Paul had warned his protege of too quickly appointing someone as a leader in the church. In this sentence above, he offered some additional explanation for this warning, hinting at the dangers such a rush to appoint might evoke. In short, Paul was reminding Timothy that it takes time to truly know a person. Outward appearances and early impressions may be deceiving.
For example, Saul (the first king of Israel) was a striking figure, but lacked a true heart for God that the position required. As with Saul, sins of pride, contention, and materialism, which Paul identified later in this letter, are not often quickly discerned. When interviewing potential candidates for leadership we often ask what a person has done, but rarely where they have done it or for what/whom. Yet, it is the latter that often uncover more than what just a litany of successful achievements might reveal.
The greatest danger to the strength of any organization (including the "organism" we call the church) may not be the lack of a charismatic leader, but instead the presence of a leader that is nothing more.
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. - Margaret Mead
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