I love to hike and climb and I love all the gadgets that go with it. Once, for my birthday, my mother gave me a Swiss Army knife. You’ve seen them. It’s not only a pocket knife, but it also folds out into a spoon, a screw driver, magnifying glass, leather punch, and a host of other tools including a toothpick and tweezers!
In churches, deacons are God’s Swiss Army knife. In every congregation there is a need for men to take responsibility for a whole host of activities from keeping the books to mowing the lawn. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he could have told the young minister to appoint accountants, teachers, gardeners, watchmen, technicians, and ministers. We tend to look for jobs and then find men to fit them but God is concerned about the kind of man first:
1 Timothy 3:8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (English Standard Version)
In other words, look for a man with the right stuff and he will make sure the right stuff gets done!