Our Old Testament reading for today begins the fascinating and highly instructive narrative of the first three kings of Israel: Saul, David, and Solomon. Perhaps no other portion of Scripture is more instructive for anyone exercising any form of leadership than these chapters. Through the story of their lives and reigns, we see the far-reaching consequences of both good and bad leadership decisions.
Four foundational principles of a biblical perspective on leadership emerge from today's reading:
1. God chooses who He uses. In God's way of doing things, leaders are never chosen by the people, they are chosen by Him.
2. God's choice is often very different than our choice. In the most fundamental way, the story of the first two kings, Saul and David, is a study in contrasts between the kind of leader God knew the people wanted (Saul) and the the kind of leader God knew they needed (David). In fact, today's reading shows that God had in mind a very, very different system of leadership than the people wanted. He desired for them to be led by spiritual leaders (prophets) but they yearned for political leaders (kings). From a biblical perspective, this is the fatal flaw of democracy - It allows carnal people to choose carnal leaders. As the lives of Saul and David also illustrate, even God-chosen leaders are capable of acting very carnally...and the consequences are horrendous when they do...but God's choice of a leader is always the best choice.
3. God holds us accountable for how we respond to the leaders He chooses. In 1 Samuel 8:7, the Lord tells Samuel that in rejecting prophetic leadership the people are not rejecting Samuel, they are rejecting God Himself. This same principle is later born out in the ministry of Jesus. He taught His disciples, when He sent them out to preach in the towns and villages, that when people rejected them, they were rejecting Him. One of the most important life-lessons I have learned is that my heart toward those in authority over me accurately reveals my heart towards the Lord. When I have a wrong attitude toward leaders, my mind tends to want to justify myself based on their real or perceived flaws, but my spirit knows the principle is true.
4. God holds every leader accountable for their attitudes and actions. Not even God-called leaders get a "free-pass" from the Lord...! Saul's life story will show that the God who chooses leaders also has the right to reject them and choose another.
May God help us all to lead rightly and to have a right attitude toward those who lead us...!
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