Leadership Models

Proverbs 28:2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

When I read this Proverb this morning, I was struck with the applicability to Seattle, Washington where anarchists have seized the city center and banned the police. The riots and destruction across our country and those around the world over the years are emblematic of the lack of godly leadership in our world. And we don’t have godly leadership because we are an ungodly people.

The power of good leadership can’t be overstated. But for many in our culture, they have never seen a truly good leader at work. Good leaders go against the flow. They lead from a position of service, not from a position of power.

And for a leader like this to remain in power those around them must also be people of character. Those around this kind of leader must resist the temptation to climb the ladder, dog eat dog, backbite, criticize or passively resist. All these behaviors are antithetical to a servant leader’s success. Godly leaders need godly followers.

And thus the rub. Godly leaders create a culture of servanthood. They are seen as trustworthy and those around them become trustworthy as well, if they are godly as well.

But if the boss cuts corners, has double standards, shows favoritism, is out of balance in the work-home arena, then those under them will likewise copy their behavior. Leaders do lead, whatever behavior they exhibit. And followers follow, even if the example isn’t necessarily healthy.

I remember when I was serving in the Army that some units were known for their excess use of alcohol. I was amazed that lower enlisted members would get in trouble for their excess, but those higher up somehow escaped most of the negative repercussions of the alcohol culture that the leadership demonstrated in after hours activities. This lack of discipline showed up in other areas as a result.

In those units there were more incidents of other types of misconduct, not just the drinking. You see, a lack of discipline can rarely be confined to one area of our lives. If we allow discipline to be lacking in one area, other areas will also show a lack of discipline. It will leak out and spill over.

What we need in life is godly leaders who stand out, not because of their personality, but because of their ability to see problems and offer solutions that will fix the problem. They have to be able to sift through the rubble and find the gold. That is why having a leader who gathers around them godly men and women who are themselves humble servants are the type of leaders we desperately need.

Leaders need to lead.