In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses emphasized he lacked the capacity to bear the heavy burden of the Israelites’ complaints and problems alone, especially since they had grown immensely in number. His experience reflects a timeless truth, any leader who attempts to guide others without involving God will inevitably find the task too burdensome. Recognizing this limitation, Moses asked them to choose wise, understanding and knowledgeable men from amongst their tribes as leaders.(Deut 1 vs 13)
Since then, the same approach has remained relevant across all spheres of life – where selection of leadership takes place.
A leader’s performance is profoundly shaped by the people’s selection process. An exceptional leader is often the product of a discerning choice, whereas poor leadership stems from a flawed selection process.
Ultimately, the decision usually is in the hands of the people or the general public (such as voters in a democratic election, committee on a board or governing body appointed to choose a leader on behalf of a larger group).
In every sphere of life, the quality of governance and direction is directly tied to the discernment of those who hold the power to choose. You may ask – What qualities must these choosers possess? – to make the right decision, they must possess the ability to discern Godly wisdom, alongside understanding and knowledge of the task (just to mention a few) in the candidates they are appointing, for this is very essential to any group, society or nation. For any leadership that lacks these qualities as a core, is bound to collapse.
To truly understand these qualities, we must look to their spiritual foundations and search if it’s rooted in God – this car only be revealed to us divinely.
- they must possess Godly wisdom, means they’ll have to have a deeper union with Christ – for wisdom is centered on him (Col 2 vs 3).
- To seek understanding is to gain insight and instructions into the task from God(Prov 4 v 1 & 7).
- And to seek knowledge is to possess the ability to discern the timing of events revealed by God through their intimacy with Christ. That is knowing what to do per time concerning every situation.
Beyond these foundational traits, other qualities of a good leader highlighted are vision alignment with God and bravery to archive excellence in the long-run even when faced with a common challenge despite the uncertainty which may not be in sink with the ideology of the people at inception.
In conclusion, when a leader possesses these qualities, he’s in alignment with God’s will thereby responding accurately to what God is doing per time. In essence, he won’t be out of season with God. Ultimately, the choices made by those leaders in authority – whether wrong or right will inevitably dictate the progress, trajectory and destiny of the families,societies,organizatios and nations they serve.
Shalom 🕊️
Bimpe Lawal