Successful Leader

Proverbs 16:10-15

      The ruler of a nation has tremendous power, power for good and for evil. Our proverbs today, there are six of them, all deal with the role of a king, the ruler of that day. They all deal with justice in one way or another. They range from the words spoken to the facial expression. So let’s take a closer look.

      In our day and age we know how one slip of the tongue can ruin a politician. Cell phone cameras have become scandal’s best friend. But it isn’t politicians alone who have to worry about what they say. Facebook becomes the treasure trove for those looking for dirt. Future employers look at Facebook and learn about your character. A leader speaks about justice and hopefully his justice mirrors the LORD’s justice. If an investigator combed through your life, what would be found out about your values? Do your deeds match your words?

      Doing the right thing for the right reason is the right thing to do. When a leader does this, then their standing in the society is solidified. If they value honesty from those around them, their values get passed along to a greater degree. Honesty and integrity are contagious. If honesty is what pleases the king, then if people value their position, they will be honest with him.

      But when a leader is not pleased with the behavior of someone, look out. In our day, either a drone is heading their way, or the smear machine gets churning. Some leaders are much worse than others at this scorched earth policy. If you don’t want to get burned, either stay far away, or get in line with the message he wants spoken.

      No one likes it when a leader falters. It does not bode well for a society when a leader fails. And we as citizens ought not wish failure on any individual. We ought to pray for righteousness to succeed. When righteousness does reign, and the leader is in line with it, it will be reflected in his face. Good news can be seen on a face. Failure and defeat can as well.

      When a leader is being successful and following righteousness their face will brighten. And that brightening is compared to a spring rain, watering the newly planted crops thirsting for every drop of moisture. Soil, sun and water. If you depend on what you plant to survive, that cloud means life. So it is with a successful leader.

Kings

Proverbs 14:28

      One of the most basic principles of leadership is that people have to be willing to follow the leader! If they aren’t following, you aren’t leading. Political leaders get in trouble when people don’t like them. When their poll numbers drop too far, they become ineffective as leaders because people are not willing to follow them.

      We are all leaders to one extent or another. We are all leading someone. Or at least we should be leading someone. Parents know this all too well. Kids pick up on the inconsistencies in a parent’s words and behaviors. They pick up on them and use them to their advantage.

      When a national leader looses their popular standing, then they must become a dictator or bully to get things done their way. They are no longer serving their people. And in the West, leaders are in power as the people’s servant. They are elected to carry out a job, not do their own thing.

      We, of course, don’t have a king here in the United States. But in places where there are kings, if all the people leave, then the king is a king of one. Kings need subjects, people who will follow him. If all their people get either captured or rebel against him, the king has no one to lead. The king’s power comes from the people who follow him, their willingness to serve him, pay him taxes, and go to war for him. So when a king has a large population, he can do many things.

      Since we are leaders, hopefully in a different way than kings, we too need followers. Christ has called us all to be leaders and followers. We follow Christ, and others follow us as we follow Christ. We lead by example. We have a responsibility to lead TO Christ, just as a king has the responsibility to lead his subjects, protecting them from the enemy and ensuring their future wellbeing.

      So how are we doing? How are you doing? Are you leading your children by carefully guarding what they are reading, viewing and absorbing? You have the right and the responsibility to protect them from the evils that our culture wants to experiment on them. We have a responsibility to lead them to Christ.

      Are we guarding what we read, view and absorb? We can’t lead where we do go ourselves.

The Ten-Plus-Two’s

Psalm 12, 42, 72, 102, 132

Flattery can be toxic. When someone starts turning it on, I personally go into high-protection mode. Psalm 12 highlights this ancient form of manipulation (v4). When words, like political speech, is filled with half-truths and full lies, no one is safe. But the weak and defenseless are the most vulnerable. Only the LORD can protect them. His word is worth its weight gold. The present state of much of the United States is summarized in verse eight. The vile is honored by our culture.

The picture of a deer thirsting for water is a powerful picture used in Psalm 42 for a soul’s longing for God. His soul has trouble looking up in hope. He actively places his thoughts on what God has done in hopes that his spirit will be lifted again. He wants this more than almost anything else. But it seems all he hears is silence.

The ruler of any people has a powerful influence on the people. Psalm 72 lays out some of the righteous things a good king does and the effect on the people when he does these things. When there is a good ruler, there is a positive effect that passes to other nations. The United States of America has been a blessing around the world. What a different place it would be if we had not stopped Hitler and the Communists. And if we don’t stop Islam rape and beheadings will spread all over the globe. Only the LORD can save us!

In Psalm 102 there are a series of word pictures describing someone in physical, emotional and spiritual turmoil. Nothing seems to satisfy the ongoing ordeal. But in the middle of the psalm his focus shifts to the LORD. Hope seems to return. A future generation comes into view (v18). Even on his worst days he did not want his life to end (v24). So much for physician assisted suicide! The LORD’s constancy was a source of hope. It should bring us hope as well. He never changes.

King David, despite all his faults, did focus on providing a permanent center for worship of the LORD. He didn’t build it, Solomon his son did, but he made all the plans and gathered all the provisions prior to his death. This is because of the LORD’s promise which is repeated in Psalm 132:11. One of his sons will be king after him. But there is a very important condition: they must be obedient to God’s Word (v12). The promise was not fulfilled when Solomon sat on the throne. It was a promise for all generations IF they were obedient. If you haven’t noticed, there is no king in Jerusalem. David’s descendents have not been king there for many centuries. Disobedience is the reason for the empty chair.

Day 203

1 Timothy 3

Virtues of Christian elders 

Key Verses: 2, 5, 10, 14

Being a pastor of a congregation is not something to be sought apart from the call of God. There are requirements that must be met, standards of conduct, unacceptable behaviors. As a pastor you are put on a pedestal, whether you want to be or not. Your congregation has expectations of your behavior, expectations that Paul reinforces here in these verses. Our personal lives must be in order. Our families can’t be in rebellion. Even outsiders must think highly of you.

I think we too often elevate leaders too rapidly into positions of authority. And in our “lone ranger” society, leaders become isolated and vulnerable. Then when people admit weakness, we throw them under the bus, instead of working reconciliation and restoration. Part of that restoration would be active accountability with others. No more isolation.

This list in verses two through seven should be on every pastor’s desk in the world. This is the standard. Meet it or move out of pastoral leadership. These are not impossible standards. Pastors are not perfect, but we are held to a higher standard.

Other leaders are also held to a standard. As they are chosen for leadership, their lives become open to public scrutiny. We don’t want people in leadership with deep, dark secrets that can be exposed and place the church in a vulnerable position. Background checks for those working in leadership, especially those working with children and youth, makes perfect sense and should be done. We also don’t want people in leadership whose lives are a poor reflection of Christ.

Paul writes Timothy to pass along his wisdom to his young protégé. Paul’s words speak across the centuries to all those who are in leadership, not just those who are in leadership in the church. As business leaders our lives are open to scrutiny. As Jesus-followers our lives need to reflect the Lord.