Proverbs 28:10
He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
Here is the difference between good leadership and bad leadership: Where are you leading people? Not only is is this Proverb talking about your skill and ability as a leader, but it really speaks to your heart. What are you leading people for? What is your desired outcome?
Often, leaders who are leading people down an evil path don't realize it. They have been so deceived by Satan that they believe what they are doing is good. Often times they even convince people that what they are doing is from God. This is just as true for cult leaders as it can be for business leaders. One of the easiest ways to tell a Godly leader from an evil leader is by honestly looking at who's being served by the efforts of the leader and the team.
Sadly, too many people develop their leadership skills for the purpose of personal gain. They learn people skills so they can win people's trust which makes it much easier to manipulate them. People skills can also be used to build loyalty which also makes it much easier to manipulate people. Ultimately, this bad leader is a con-man, a charlatan. He knows how to gain people's confidence with psychology and acting, but this deception cannot last forever. Eventually he falls into his own trap.
We don't have to look far for examples of this. We see this fall from grace in business, in politics, and sadly, even in the church. How many times a year does the news tell us all the sordid details of the implosion of one of these leaders. There are almost always warning signs, but people become so enamored with the vision or the "cult of personality" that they become blind to them. If anyone tries to point out these warning signs often times the members of that community will become very defensive. They will either want to argue with you or just avoid the conversation altogether. This is how the upright end up on an evil path.
What are some of the warning signs?
Often, leaders who are leading people down an evil path don't realize it. They have been so deceived by Satan that they believe what they are doing is good. Often times they even convince people that what they are doing is from God. This is just as true for cult leaders as it can be for business leaders. One of the easiest ways to tell a Godly leader from an evil leader is by honestly looking at who's being served by the efforts of the leader and the team.
Sadly, too many people develop their leadership skills for the purpose of personal gain. They learn people skills so they can win people's trust which makes it much easier to manipulate them. People skills can also be used to build loyalty which also makes it much easier to manipulate people. Ultimately, this bad leader is a con-man, a charlatan. He knows how to gain people's confidence with psychology and acting, but this deception cannot last forever. Eventually he falls into his own trap.
We don't have to look far for examples of this. We see this fall from grace in business, in politics, and sadly, even in the church. How many times a year does the news tell us all the sordid details of the implosion of one of these leaders. There are almost always warning signs, but people become so enamored with the vision or the "cult of personality" that they become blind to them. If anyone tries to point out these warning signs often times the members of that community will become very defensive. They will either want to argue with you or just avoid the conversation altogether. This is how the upright end up on an evil path.
What are some of the warning signs?
- Every single aspect of the organization is about the leader.
- All information coming into the community has to be filtered through the leader.
- People are taken advantage of for financial gain.
- The leader is becoming wealthy or famous off the efforts and finances of his followers.
- Certain aspects of the organization contradict, or even attack God's Word.
- You have been warned by two or more people about your organization, and especially the leader.
Sadly, because we live in a sin-cursed world there is an abundance of examples of the bad leader. Ultimately, that is the default mode of every human being. We are all, by nature, selfish. So how can there be truly good leaders if that is true?
The answer to that question is actually quite simple, but most people don't want to hear it: JESUS!
The only way to become a good leader is by being empowered by Jesus Christ. We can only become a selfless, servant leader through faith in Jesus. We can only have faith in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, it is entirely a gift from Him. The Holy Spirit can only work in us if we are baptized, and constantly reading and studying God's Word (the Bible).
I told you it was simple. I also told you that most people don't want to hear it, but the truth is the truth. It is not subject to anyone's desires or feelings.
The reality of Leadership Development is that you can work on yourself until the cows come home, but if you don't have Jesus- you don't have anything. Without Jesus all of your efforts are selfish and ultimately for yourself, no matter what you might claim to the contrary.
Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Thankfully, Jesus has died for our sins. All of our sins have been washed away by His blood. It is Jesus who gives us the power to live for Him, and please our Heavenly Father with a life of selfless service.
To be God be the glory!
Jason Fredrick
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