Are you utilizing your strengths most of the time? (99-2) ~ Barry Werner

Every leader has strengths and weaknesses. 

Effective leaders utilize their personal strengths and leadership skills a greater percentage of the time than they spend working on improving their weaknesses. Read 1 Kings 10:1-9.

God had gifted Solomon with extraordinary skill, wisdom, common sense, good judgment, knowledge and understanding. It seemed everything he touched was a success story and brought him more fame. The notes in the Maxwell Leadership Bible give us at least one reason why.

Great leaders play to their strength.

They don’t spend vast amount of time attempting to be a jack-of-all-trades. Instead, they deepen their ability to do what they do best, until they do it as well as anyone.

Solomon certainly lived by this principle. God made him the wisest and richest king of his day (1 Kings 3:12, 13). Other monarchs heard of his wisdom and wealth and eagerly sought an audience with him. From all over the known world, powerful rulers from distant lands made the long trek to Israel to catch a glimpse of this young phenom. Solomon provided rich counsel and gifts to others, and quickly became known for his breadth of mind and depth of insight.

How did Solomon gain such fame?

He focused on what he did best. Leaders would be wise to follow a similar pattern, called the 70-25-5 principle:

• Give 70 percent of your time to your areas of strength.
• Give 25 percent of your time to the areas you want to improve.
• Give 5 percent of your time to the areas of your weakness.

Have you identified your greatest areas of strength? Are you spending the majority of your leadership time to influence others in the area of strength you identified?

Chart your daily activity to determine where you spend your time.

Effective, high achieving leaders spend 70 percent of their time working in the area of their greatest strengths.





Tags: Strengths, Weaknesses

« Who are you striving to please? (99-1)
Is building and maintaining character a priority for you? (99-3) »

Who are you striving to please? (99-1) ~ Barry Werner

Professional athletes and coaches are committed to excellence because they want to win championships.

Corporate executives are committed to excellence because they want to please customers and increase profits. These can be good motives.But followers of Christ the motive that drives a leader to excellence should be a desire to please the One who will give us our final reward.

Everything we do should be done with a conscious awareness of His presence, a realization that He is watching.

Read 1 Kings 10:1-13.

Solomon had been king of Israel about 20 years. He had completed the construction of several magnificent buildings including the Temple of God and his personal palace. His fame for wisdom and understanding had spread throughout the known world.
 
As with any account that seems too amazing to be true, some of the leaders of other nations determined to pay Israel a visit to meet Solomon for themselves. One such visitor was the queen of Sheba.
 
The queen of Sheba was amazed by the quality of the court in all its details. This was Israel at its height, and God’s blessing on this nation was evident in the excellence of the palace and the food, the dignity of the king’s officials, the attire of his attending servant and the splendor of the temple.

Her comment after seeing God’s blessing on Solomon first hand was,

"The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes…Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.” The queen quickly related the excellence in Solomon’s work with his God.

God received glory from Solomon’s work.

If a leader from another part of the country worked with you at your side for one week, would they see excellence in your work as if your work was dedicated directly to God?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Colossians 3:23

Tags: Motivation

« What generates passion and purpose in your leadership life? (98-5)
Are you utilizing your strengths most of the time? (99-2) »

What generates passion and purpose in your leadership life? (98-5) ~ Barry Werner

What about being a leader makes you get out of bed in the morning? What makes you tick? What generates passion and purpose in your leadership life?

Few leaders can articulate a clear purpose statement that they are passionate about for their life.

It is ironic that some leaders put more time and energy into planning a two-week vacation than thinking about their leadership passion and purpose during this earthly journey.
Read 1 Kings 6:1-8.


Solomon had been king of Israel for four years. David, his father and predecessor, had left the kingdom in good shape and David had insured the transition of power was seamless, launching Solomon’s leadership to a high level of momentum from his first day in office. Solomon was probably now only about 22 years old but had established his leadership, selected his team, negotiated treaties with neighboring nations to insure continued peace for the people and won the hearts of his people.

This point, when momentum had been established and the enterprise could seemingly run on auto pilot, is a danger point for most leaders. Without passion and a purpose that becomes a driving force (that is “bigger” than they are) even leaders whose desire is to serve and honor God can begin to make assumptions about the future and develop work and thought patterns that will ultimately limit their effectiveness as a leader.

Wise leaders understand the power in having a passion and a purpose that is bigger than the moment.

Solomon had a passion to build the temple with such care and excellence that its beauty and perfection would honor God and draw others to worship Him. He spared no expense; everything was done with quality and precision, including those things that would not be visible when the construction was complete. 

Solomon, even as a young man, knew that his passion and purpose as a leader needed to be directed toward God and His kingdom. Wise Christian leaders develop a passion with an eternal perspective that guides them during this temporary earth part of their journey.

What ignites your passion? Do you have a passion and purpose that will honor God when others evaluate your work and see how you have lived and led? Are you seeking to discover God’s deep passion and purpose for your life and participate in it?

“So we make it our goal to please (the Lord), whether we are at home in the body or away from it.”

2 Corinthians 5:9

« Have you communicated a vision that captivates others? (98-4)
Who are you striving to please? (99-1) »

Have you communicated a vision that captivates others? (98-4) ~ Barry Werner

It is one thing to have vision; it is quite another to communicate that vision to others to enable them to embrace and internalize it.

Read 1 Kings 5:1-18

Hiram was the king of Tyre, a neighboring nation to Israel. When he heard his old friend King David had died, he sent envoys to meet with Solomon, heir to the throne to congratulate him on his new position. Hiram’s plan was to discuss continued peaceful relations between the two nations.

Solomon had more elaborate plans for their relationship.

Solomon wanted to build a magnificent temple to honor God and for that he needed raw materials that were scarce in Israel but plentiful in Tyre. Establishing an expanded partnership in his first communication with Hiram would require Solomon to communicate a vision that captivated Hiram’s interest and motivated him to become involved.

Solomon effectively communicated his vision for the temple to the king of Tyre. Solomon indicated that the building project was

“…for the Name of the Lord my God.”

He gave the project such value that Hiram could not keep from participating. As a result, Hiram complied with his request to provide cedar for this great project.

When leaders are skillful in communicating vision, others are motivated to participate.

Do you have a project you need to get off the ground? Have you determined how to communicate the vision so that it captivates the imagination of those who could make the project a success?



« Where is your team lacking structure and organization? (98-3)
What generates passion and purpose in your leadership life? (98-5) »

How does a winning team keep winning? (98-2) ~ Barry Werner

No leader can ignore the impact of momentum.

If you’ve got it, you and your team will be able to accomplish things you never thought possible. If you don’t, the smallest task becomes hard work and difficult.

Effective leaders understand momentum, make the choice to have it, seek God’s favor and guidance, and work to develop it.

Read 1 Kings 2:1-4:24.

• How does a winning team keep winning? 
• What makes it possible for an organization to keep the momentum going? 
• How did Solomon so successfully take the reins from his father? 

Solomon started with what David provided. Leaders need to access the resources their predecessor leaves them and start building from that point rather than tearing everything down so it appears they have their own stamp on new progress.

Solomon humbly desired to grow as a leader and sought character development rather than recognition.

Solomon made some wise decisions that won him credibility. Wise leaders strive to have some early successes and limit early mistakes. First impressions do count and it is difficult to get a second chance at a first impression.

Solomon maintained an environment of peace. He made some bold moves against enemies within Israel and prevented a bloody civil war. 

Solomon also took measures to make treaties with his neighbors. Understanding leaders seek to create a safe environment for their team. 

Solomon surrounded himself with wise associates. Solomon kept a few of David’s selected servants, but not many. Most of his team he nurtured himself. Wise leaders select their team to complement their strengths and offset their weaknesses.

Solomon maintained and increased momentum in Israel by being willing to do the following: 

Solomon had a willingness to accept responsibility for the organization’s momentum. Once a leader leads an organization for three years, every problem is their problem. 

Solomon had a willingness to direct momentum instead of letting it direct him. David had been a military leader.

Solomon never led an army; his goals weren’t military in nature.

Solomon gave his attention to trade and construction – and that meant he had to change the direction of the nation’s momentum.

Solomon had a willingness to be enthusiastic and positive at all times. He saw his work as leading God’s people in God’s nation and he believed in his team.

All leaders face the challenge of creating change in an organization.

Effective leaders seek to get momentum on their side. Once they have momentum the future looks bright, obstacles appear small and trouble seems temporary.

Wise leaders know that with enough momentum, nearly any kind of change is possible.

« How do leaders sustain momentum during transition? (98-1)                  Where is your team lacking structure and organization? (98-3) »

How do leaders sustain momentum during transition? (98-1) ~ Barry Werner

Every leader will experience the joy and challenge of assuming a new position at some point during their leadership life.


Read 1 Kings 2 and 3.


Israel was in a time of transition from David’s leadership to Solomon’s leadership. David had built on his predecessor Saul’s accomplishments and the nation had tremendous wealth, military power, respect and momentum. The time of transition from one leader to another presents one of the most challenging times to continue momentum. The challenge was to successfully take the reins from his father and ensure momentum continued through a smooth transition.


Solomon was probably about 18 when he became king. His father gave him everything he needed to start his reign: a stable kingdom, plentiful resources, wise counsel and a public endorsement. Even in his youth and with these resources from David, Solomon knew he needed godly character, personal wisdom and an understanding heart to lead and judge God’s people. Solomon’s cry to God was

“Now, O Lord, my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

Leaders can learn a few things about assuming a new position from Solomon’s prayer: Solomon realized his rise to power was a direct result of a decision by God. Even though he was the son of the king and David’s choice as heir to the throne, he did not take an arrogant position assuming he had a right to this position. Psalm 75:7(TLB) says,

“For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God.”

Solomon realized a new leadership role would take effort on his part. He acknowledged before God that he had duties to perform in the role God had given him.

Solomon acknowledged the scope of the job i.e. these were God’s people and too numerous to number. Understanding the big picture is critical to long-term success in a new role.

Solomon realized his current leadership skill and all his natural abilities would not be enough to successfully lead the nation. He would have to grow as a leader to meet the needs of the job.

Solomon understood he needed discernment and character more than all other resources to successfully lead.

Leaders with godly character strive to live with each facet of life under God’s dominion. 

According to Proverbs 3:21-26 (TLB) leaders should

“Have two goals: wisdom – that is knowing and doing right – and common sense.Don’t let them slip away, for they fill you with living energy, and are a feather in your cap. They keep you safe from defeat and disaster and from stumbling off the trail. With them on guard you can sleep without fear; you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you; He protects you.”

Godly leaders know that the wisdom of Christ is very different from the wisdom of the world and they do not confuse the two.

Tags: Momentum, Transition


« Is wisdom from experience or direct from God? (97-5)
How does a winning team keep winning? (98-2) »

Is wisdom from experience or direct from God? (97-5)

Leaders need wisdom to make informed and judicious decisions. 

We tend to think wisdom is something gained only through years of experience and to some extent this is true. If a leader pays attention and learns from successes and failures they will make better decisions based on experience and display a form of wisdom. But there is more to gaining wisdom than experience.

Read 1 Kings 3.

Solomon had just become king of Israel taking over from his father David. He had big shoes to fill and like it or not would be evaluated and judged by his first decisions.

A young man without experience being held to the standard of excellence of an experienced wise leader! 

Only a man endowed with God’s wisdom from the first days of his reign would have the ability to succeed in this situation. A little background about Solomon is helpful and can be gained from a book he wrote that is included in the Bible called Proverbs.

Proverbs 4 says,

“For I, too was once a son, tenderly loved by my mother as an only child, and the companion of my father (King David). He told me never to forget his words. ‘Learn to be wise,’ he said, ‘and develop good judgment and common sense! I cannot overemphasize this point.’ Cling to wisdom – she will protect you. Love her – she will guard you. Determination to be wise is the first step toward becoming wise!” 

(Proverbs 4:3-7a TLB).

Solomon understood at an early age that effective leaders put a high value on seeking wisdom.

In the first verses of 1 Kings 3 we see Solomon’s zeal to please God.  

 The young king of Israel was extremely devoted to God in the early years of his reign. This devotion ignited a desire in him to seek God’s wisdom rather than power and fame.

He knew the situation he was in, following a great respected leader like David, and understood he could not wait for experiential wisdom; his only hope to lead the nation wisely was to be endowed by God’s wisdom early in his reign. Solomon’s request of God was the resource of wisdom.

By the end of 1 Kings 3 we see one of Solomon’s most dramatic decisions that displayed God had truly given him wisdom he had not earned through experience. Two women presented the king with what seemed an unresolvable dilemma: Each claimed to be the mother of the same child.

With no real evidence to help him to identify the birth mother, Solomon was left to his wits.

And his shocking verdict (v. 24), along with the results (v. 27), revealed that he had truly been endowed with divine wisdom. And the result of those who heard about it: 

“When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice” (v.28).

Effective Christian leaders seek wisdom from God even before they have wisdom gained from experience.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

James 1:5

« Are you building a career or a legacy? (97-4)                   How do leaders sustain momentum during transition? (98-1)

Are you building a career or a legacy? (97-4) ~ Barry Werner

Leaders will leave a legacy.

The question is will it be viewed as positive or negative by those who follow behind?

Read 1 Kings 2:5-6 and 28-34.

Abner and Joab were both military leaders. Both were relatives of the kings they served. Their careers and their characters, however, present a sharp contrast.

Abner was a competent military leader, but his loyalty was to Saul, a ruler whose disobedience to God guaranteed his failure as God’s chosen king of Israel. No matter how hard Abner fought, no matter how skillful his leadership, Abner was on the wrong side.

When Ish-Bosheth acceded to the throne after Saul, one of Israel’s 12 tribes broke away from the others, established an independent nation and appointed David as its king rather than serve Ish-Bosheth.

As a result, the two kings of Israel and their generals went to war against each other (2 Samuel 3:1). Joab was David’s general; Abner was general to Ish-Bosheth. In their one recorded battle, Joab’s forces routed Abner’s troops.

Eventually Abner and Ish-Bosheth parted company.

Abner attempted to join forces with David and promised to rally all of Israel to his side (2 Samuel 3:12). Joab, perceiving Abner as a potential rival, as well as seeking to resolve a personal vendetta, murdered him (2 Samuel 3:27). 

In doing so, Joab not only robbed Abner of his life but also deprived David of a valuable ally. His vicious act also prevented Israel’s reunification.

As these two men’s careers are considered, Joab had the more impressive military record. Joab was associated with Israel’s greatest military leader; Abner had aligned himself with two weak kings. 

As is often the case, those who lead from the middle are judged as much for the success or failure of their superior as for their own performance.

The larger issue in the story of these two men doesn’t involve who had the better military career so much as who was the better person. 

Who possessed the stronger character and reputation and legacy? 

The answer to that question is apparent in David’s actions with regard to each of these men. After Joab murdered Abner, David declared a national day of mourning. David wept at Abner’s grave and wrote a lament in his honor (2 Samuel 3:33-34). By contrast, David’s final instructions to his successor, his son Solomon, was to have Joab executed.

Joab destroyed his own reputation in order to protect his position.

His passion for success as a leader drove him to negate his success as a man. David didn’t attempt to discern which of the two men was a better general. He eulogized the better man and condemned the lesser man. 

The story of Abner and Joab demonstrates that, while career is important, in the final analysis strong personal character and reputation and legacy are what really counts.

Have you determined which you hold in higher esteem – your career and success in your chosen profession or with your integrity?

Wise leaders look to character issues as their measure of success first then career issues.

« How do you successfully replace a legend leader? (97-3)          Is wisdom from experience or direct from God? (97-5) »

How do you successfully replace a legend leader? (97-3) ~ Barry Werner

How do you successfully replace a legend leader? (97-3)

Leadership takes on many forms as an organization grows or downsizes, as its climate and environment change. 

What remains constant is the moral base required of the leadership. 

Read 1 Kings 1:1-9.

Maybe you have experienced what Solomon experienced stepping into his leadership role.

 He was about to assume leadership after the greatest leader in Israel’s history. The expectation of the people concerning performance of their leaders was high. 

David had set the standard for their expectations over the last 40 years so an entire generation knew Israel as a great nation with leaders revered by all the nations around them. The inner circle of leaders that had received orders from the great King David would now be receiving orders from an 18-year-old and those first decisions would become a first impression that had the potential to form an opinion of Solomon’s abilities that would last throughout his reign. 

The neighboring nations were sure that no nation could find another leader with David’s skill so they were hoping for a lesser man. Sounds like a no win situation for Solomon.

Verses 2-4 give us some insight into our preparation should we find ourselves in Solomon’s position. This is also valuable insight if we are developing a succession plan for a revered leader. David’s advice to Solomon concerning his first days on the job, “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in His ways, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go…” 

David’s advice, get your moral base right, have an ethical character, live by the core values God has established in His word and you will be all right.

 Only after David had dealt with Solomon’s character issues did he make some suggestions concerning some unfinished business Solomon needed to deal with in his first acts as king.

Are you about to step into a leadership role behind a legend? Are you a bit of a legend that is looking for a successor? 

Character and core values that match God’s established core values are the elements that will give the greatest chance of successful, God-blessable leadership. 

David left some thorny issues for Solomon to handle in his first decision as the senior leader but twice in the first nine verses he asserted to Solomon “You will know what to do.” 

Effective godly leadership requires decisions and application of skills that come from God-established core values.

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Tags: Expectations, First Impressions, Preparation

« Are your succession plans adequate and communicated? (97-2)

Are you building a career or a legacy? (97-4)

Are your succession plans adequate and communicated? (97-2) ~ BArry Werner

Are your succession plans adequate and communicated? (97-2)

There are several actions a leader can take to pass leadership to a successor they have chosen to take their place. Read 1 Kings 1:28-40.

Transitions in leadership often cause significant problems for groups and organizations. David planned for his son Solomon’s succession but failed to adequately communicate this to others.

As a result, his son, Adonijah, attempted to take the throne when he saw that his father could no longer rule. It is one thing to plan ahead but another to communicate these plans to others who will be affected by them.

Once David realized that the kingdom would be stripped from his chosen successor, he took some corrective actions that allowed his original succession plan to get back on track. 

You may be facing a similar situation, if so there are several principles of succession leadership that you can learn from David. Notice what David did to finally right the transition process:

• David made a public declaration of his intentions (vv. 28-30).
• David involved key influencers in the process (v. 32).
• David gave Solomon some of his resources that were easily recognized by the people as a symbol of the king’s position (v. 33).
• David set up a public commissioning for Solomon (vv. 34, 35).
• David publicly endorsed Solomon’s leadership (v. 35).
• David initiated a celebration to transition the leadership to Solomon (vv. 39. 40).

Too often leaders assume succession plans only need to be created for a single key leader or at most two key leaders. Effective leaders have simple, well communicated succession plans for every leadership position that could drastically slow momentum or bring progress to a halt should something happen to a key leader’s availability to complete their assignments.

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Tags: Correction, Transition

« Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? (97-1)

How do you successfully replace a legend leader? (97-3) »

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? (97-1) ~ Barry Werner

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? (97-1)

All leaders have character flaws; areas of weakness that tend to surface and resurface throughout our career. These negative elements of character, if not dealt with and replaced with God-honoring character traits, will continue to create problem situations, limit a leader’s influence or destroy their career completely. Read 1 Kings 1:1-10 focusing on verse 6.

David was God’s leader for Israel for 40 years. Even today, he is recognized as one of the great leaders of all time in world history. Under David’s leadership 12 independent sovereign tribes that could each trace their family lineage back to the 12 sons of Jacob, united and became a military and political force that changed the entire landscape of the Middle East. Today, thousands of years later, David’s influence can be seen in the nation of Israel and felt in world politics.


Not only does history and the Bible record the greatness of David but it also records the damage of a character weakness that plagued him throughout his leadership life. David did not apply the same leadership and guidance in his family that he applied for the nation. David didn’t deal with an incident of rape and incest which led to the death of two sons and a ruined life for one of his daughters. Even worse, David did not learn from his lack of leadership.

Without strong corrective action to this part of his character it was only a few years until David again faced a family crisis that affected the nation. David was old and his ability to lead the nation was in question. His son Adonijah seized the moment, made key alliances with the commander of the army and an influential priest and without consulting David or asking for his blessing established himself as king of Israel. According to verse 6, this act of rebellion was a direct result of David’s lack of leadership in his home.

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership?

Has He given you time to make the corrective action and maybe even shown you a course of action that will allow you to correct this area of your character? 

Effective Christian leaders seek God’s wisdom to identify godly character and then do the work to develop and attain that character.

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« Are your projects and pressures more real to you than Jesus? (96-5)

Are your succession plans adequate and communicated? (97-2) »

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? (97-1) ~ Barry Werner

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? (97-1)

November 23rd, 2009 in 1 Kings, Character, Learn from Mistakes, Old Testament, Personal Development, Power and Influence | leave a response

All leaders have character flaws; areas of weakness that tend to surface and resurface throughout our career. These negative elements of character, if not dealt with and replaced with God-honoring character traits, will continue to create problem situations, limit a leader’s influence or destroy their career completely. Read 1 Kings 1:1-10 focusing on verse 6.

David was God’s leader for Israel for 40 years. Even today, he is recognized as one of the great leaders of all time in world history. Under David’s leadership 12 independent sovereign tribes that could each trace their family lineage back to the 12 sons of Jacob, united and became a military and political force that changed the entire landscape of the Middle East. Today, thousands of years later, David’s influence can be seen in the nation of Israel and felt in world politics.

Not only does history and the Bible record the greatness of David but it also records the damage of a character weakness that plagued him throughout his leadership life. David did not apply the same leadership and guidance in his family that he applied for the nation. David didn’t deal with an incident of rape and incest which led to the death of two sons and a ruined life for one of his daughters. Even worse, David did not learn from his lack of leadership.

Without strong corrective action to this part of his character it was only a few years until David again faced a family crisis that affected the nation. David was old and his ability to lead the nation was in question. His son Adonijah seized the moment, made key alliances with the commander of the army and an influential priest and without consulting David or asking for his blessing established himself as king of Israel. According to verse 6, this act of rebellion was a direct result of David’s lack of leadership in his home.

Has God shown you areas of character weakness in your leadership? Has He given you time to make the corrective action and maybe even shown you a course of action that will allow you to correct this area of your character? Effective Christian leaders seek God’s wisdom to identify godly character and then do the work to develop and attain that character.

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« Are your projects and pressures more real to you than Jesus? (96-5)

Are your projects and pressures more real to you than Jesus? (96-5) ~ Barry Werner

Are your projects and pressures more real to you than Jesus? (96-5)

November 20th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Dependence on God, Habakkuk, Obedience to God, Old Testament, Proverbs | leave a response

“They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor…They sweep past like the wind and go on – guilty men, whose own strength is their god (Habakkuk 1:6, 11).

These members of the Babylonian army were a “law to themselves” (they do whatever they want), “promote their own honor” (they look out for number one), and their “own strength is their god” (they rely on themselves). Sounds like today. This is the fundamental struggle of every leader. Every moment of every day we choose either to live out of our own strength and be independent from God, or to depend on God alone and walk by faith. When we try to be independent, we sin. When we walk by faith, Christ’s righteousness is lived out in obedience. Read 2 Samuel 24.

In King David’s day in ancient Israel, they had a form of military service similar to America’s National Guard. There was a small, well trained, professional standing army that protected the nation’s capitol with some troops also stationed in remote areas of the nation to keep order. All other able bodied men between certain ages were expected to live in a state of ready, doing their civilian job, and assemble for war if the king determined there was a threat to the nation and put out the call for an army.

King David wanted to know how many men he could muster should he decide he needed a military force so he ordered a census of the entire nation of men that were fighting age. Unfortunately this was against a previous instruction God had given the leaders of His nation. Through Moses, one of Israel’s early God-appointed leaders, God had given instructions for all future leaders to trust Him, not military might, and had forbidden a leader to take a census of available fighting men.

David knew what he was doing violated God’s law but decided to do it anyway. How many times have each of us ignored what we knew was “right” in our leadership role to do what we wanted to do? This kind of leadership action is for our benefit, seems like it costs us nothing, and is not a worthy offering to God.

The Bible says that when the census was complete “David was conscience stricken” and said, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done” (24:10). God sent a plague and punished the entire nation for David’s sin. Isn’t it interesting that so many people in Israel died that David’s census information was now useless.

The system of this world is almost perfectly designed to encourage leaders to rely on their own strength. It is easy for our projects and pressures to become more real to us than Jesus. Instead of walking by faith, leaders can let their own strength become their god. Effective Christian leaders keep their priorities those of God rather than their own even though the system around us is designed to lure us to self-dependence and self-reliance.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

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Tags: Faith, Independent

« Do loyalty and recognition flow “to and from” your team? (96-4)