Today’s Reading, 1 Samuel 21-24
Focal Scripture: 1 Samuel 22:2 “In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.”
Good leaders just don’t lead the popular people. Good leaders inspire everyone to be lead, especially those who are outcast and not like everyone else. Biblical leadership sees the people who are broken, downtrodden, hurt, and in need of hope. I have learned over my time in leadership positions that winning the hearts of people who have a difficult time trusting others takes time and patience. Why? Because most leaders only want to lead the people that give them an advantage in various situations.
In today’s reading we catch up with David and the men he is leading during his fleeing of Saul. The scriptures tell us that the men who were desperate, in debt, and discontented rallied around him and he became their leader. These men were looking for someone they could relate to and understand what it was like to be in their situation. Remember David is being pursued by his king who is also his father in law. Saul wants to destroy David because he has been chosen by God to lead the people. These outcasts men knew that David understood their plight.
Leadership is not just about skill or how a person looks. It is the ability to rally all types of people together to achieve a common goal. So what type of leader are you? Are you a person who only wants to connect with the people who benefit you in someway? Many leaders have that thinking and it becomes obvious that they see people as currency to benefit their own personal agenda. That type of leader is transactional not transformational.
I challenge you today to lead people out of love and compassion not because you want to use them for a goal. People are not bargaining chips or pawns on a chess board. If you want to know what type of leader you are look at who follows you when you lead. Is it just the popular people? Or do those who struggle and are left out desire to go where you are going?
Just know if you have others who are not in a certain club follow your leadership you will ostracized by those who like the status quo. When you include everyone those who are used to being in control tend to fight back against your leadership. Inclusive leadership ruffles feathers and you must be prepared to lead that way if you are going to lead biblically.
Lead like Jesus not like the world. The world leads people to death, Jesus leads people to life. Our goal is to lead them to the source of life, Jesus.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Psalms 7,27,31,34,52
