Today’s Reading 2 Kings 15-17
Focal Scripture: 2 Kings 17:15 “They rejected his statutes and his covenant he had made with their ancestors and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves, following the surrounding nations the Lord had commanded them not to imitate.”
Our readings keep showing us leaders who are not good leaders. They are self serving. They are focused on power and control. They are in positions of leadership yet they are not leading well.
In the verses today we see that the leaders and the nation are being corrected. They are not following God’s statutes. They are not following how to worship. They are copying other nations and looking to idols. Israel and its leaders are becoming just like everyone else.
However, we are not called to be like everyone else and neither was Israel. They were supposed to be different. They were supposed to be a people who worshipped the Lord and followed him alone. However, when the leaders are not submitting the entire nation will suffer.
This is the biggest lesson for us to learn today. Leaders play a pivotal role in culture. Obviously there are outliers that will cause problems and even try to obscure the truth. However, leaders set the tone in their environments. If the people you lead gossip it’s because you as a leader are probably a gossip. If the people you lead are shallow it’s because you are shallow.
The leader sets the tone. The kings did not put God first and so the nation suffered. We are all leaders in our lives. So this begs the question. What type of leader are you? Are you a leader that puts God first? Or are you a leader who has idols? Because if you have idols it will show amongst the people you lead at home, work or even at church.
Most leaders look to worldly examples of how to lead. If you are a believer our example has been given to us. Jesus submitted to the father, loved people, treated them with respect, spoke truthfully and kindly at the same time. He empowered those he lead and let them minister within their personalities. He taught to the heart.
Since we all lead have a heart that points people to God and not your idols or personality. It is a constant theme in the Bible earthly leaders point people to God because their life is seeking to honor God.
Don’t lead like everyone else. Lead like Jesus.
Tomorrow I plan on reading 2 Kings 18-19
