Leadership

Good day to each of you reading this column and the topic of leadership. This is such an interesting topic for leadership or lack of has been in the news on an hourly basis.

Speaking of the news, I open with the calamity that we have seen in the closing weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency and the inauguration of Joe Biden. To say, that we have seen fireworks these past few weeks is an understatement and the aligning of forces for both camps is underway as I write.

The question of how peaceful the inauguration will be remains a mystery, but I am sure the police will be out in full force to enforce any possible violence. As I remember, we have had many demonstrations in the past 50 years but I don’t remember folks storming the capitol.

My question is, if we have all these folks on film, why don’t we round them up and charge them with the necessary crime? I want to know who they are, what affiliations they have, if they are going to jail and what will be done in the future so this does not happen again. American’s outcry these actions yet nothing is being done and justice is not being served.

One last thing before I get to the topic—When I watched the Senate and House of Representative reactions to the storming of the Capitol, each person interviewed whether Democrat or Republican blamed this on the other party.

We have “the blame game” when someone does not get its way—Both parties blame each other instead of fixing the problem. My thought is, well simple, get rid of every one of them and elect those who fear and adhere to the laws of God.

Let me use a Biblical analogy—you may agree or disagree—turn to Genesis 18—Sodom and Gomorrah—Let’s begin at verse 22—33 (FF) So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom; but Abraham stood firm in the presence of the Lord; and Abraham approached and said, “Will You destroy the just along with the wicked? If there are fifty just persons that are within the city, will You destroy it, and not raise Your hand from the place, because of the fifty just persons that are within it? Far be it from You to do as You have said, thus to kill the just with the wicked, and to make the just and the wicked alike. It is far from You. Will not the Judge of the whole earth do justice?”

The Lord accordingly answered, “If I find fifty just men in the whole city of Sodom, then I will for their sakes take off My hand from all the place.”

Then Abraham answered and said, “See, now, I began to speak to my Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. If there should want five just persons of the fifty, will You sweep away the whole city for want of five?”

And He answered, “I will not sweep it away, if I find there forty-five.”

But he continued still to speak to Him, and said, “If there are found forty there?”

He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

“Still,” he said, “let not my Lord be angry now, and I will speak; if thirty are found there?”

He continued however, “See, now, I will dare you to speak to my Lord; if there are found twenty there?”

And He answered, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

He then said, “Let not my Lord be angry now, and I will speak once more; if ten are found there?”

And He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Then the Lord went to do what He had told to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his own place.

The analogy is simple—do we have “just” men or women in our senate and house representatives? I would define “just” as integrity of character—Is that our thought also?

Do we have men and women, elected in office, with integrity of character? If we were to call upon the Lord and to ask him if there were ten persons found to be just or integrity of character, what do you think his answer would be?

Turn to Matthew 13: 1-15—(FF) At this time, however, Jesus, going out from the house, sat down by the sea. And a great crowd collected about Him, so that He ascended into a boat, and sat down in it; while all the crowd stood upon the shore. And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:

“It happened that sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.

“Another part fell upon stony land, where the soil was not deep enough; and it sprouted very quickly on account of the shallowness of the soil; but when the sun arose, it was scorched, and it also withered for want of root. And another lot fell among the thistles, and the thistles grew up and choked it. But the rest fell upon good land, and produced grain, some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him listen!”

His disciples approaching Him, afterwards asked, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

“Because,” He answered, “it is granted to you to become acquainted with the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven; but it is not granted to others. For whoever has a possession, it will increase with him; but the one who possesses nothing, even what he has will be torn from him. I therefore speak to them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they do not hear, neither will they understand. Thus by them is verified the prophecy of Isaiah, which says:

LISTEN TO A SOUND, AND NEVER UNDERSTAND IT;
AND SEEING, SEE, BUT NEVER PERCEIVE.
FOR THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE IS STUPEFIED,
 AND THEY LISTEN WITH LOADED EARS,
AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED;
FEARING THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS,
AND TURN BACK, AND I WOULD RESTORE THEM.

Integrity of Character, grounded in Godly principles, producing that which is good in God’s eyes, praying without ceasing and adhering to God’s laws, ordinances, and statutes. Do we have ten men and women who have fallen on good land and produced?

Leadership creates a lonely life—One who is a leader is held high and under a microscope for every decision made, a great example is Jesus. Yes, he led by example and not just by word and was least.

If one wants to learn to lead, let him be least and follow the greatest example ever given man. If you were to ask what other examples of leadership before Jesus, turn to Deuteronomy 1:13—18 and look to the wisdom of Moses.

Leaders, to me, possess the inner qualities of wisdom, understanding and respect beginning with grounded roots and prayer to God for these inner qualities. Have we become a country that would rather choose a leader for his or her good looks, wealth, popularity, or promise everything to all to get the vote?

Like sheep, we have all gone astray, so we need shepherds, who will take responsibility and not point the finger at someone else, will respect the opposing view, and if wrong, admit, and move forward, involve others in leadership, lead by example and not by word, courageously defend the words and laws of God, and to serve God and people.

Throughout the Bible, there are so many examples of the men and women God lifted up to be leaders. When reading, these leaders were least in many ways, yet are remembered as trailblazers for their accomplishments.

They all had one thing in common—They had true and solid faith—They knew God would always deliver and do what he said. God never placed a task so difficult that his leaders could not accomplish.

And the conclusion to the matter of leadership, do we have 10 “just” men and women in our legislative branch with an integrity of character or will our USA government fall the ways of Sodom and Gomorrah?

We are told to pray for our leaders and to pray diligently—when our leaders fall away from being “just”, do we wish to stand idly by or put those in office with the same principles that Moses used in Deuteronomy 1:13—18.

It is your choice—

May we Bless God in all that we do and say.

Jeff