Choosing a leader who will have a very strong role in our lives has to be made wisely. Choosing the right leader brings us blessing and possibly the right direction, while choosing the wrong leader will cause us a lot of regret.
The Bible gives detailed descriptions of the effects of having a righteous and unrighteous (or self-righteous) leader holding some authority over our lives. Be it in politics, in business, in career or work, and even in church, we have to ask the Lord to help us choose the right leader always.
Why? It's because the leader's values and beliefs, as well as their stand on various things, will be passed on to influence their people. Think about it. The book of 1 and 2 Kings, as well as 1 and 2 Chronicles, gives us a different ending for every kind of leadership taking authority at the helm of the nation. Read these books and you'll find that when a king lives to please God, blessing and peace – not to mention prosperity and protection – are always given by the Lord. But when the king incites the whole nation to do things that anger the Lord, nothing good ever happens.
Choosing wisely
We all have to make the decision as to who will be allowed to have an influence in our lives. Leadership can be defined as the capacity to influence another's thought or decision. Because of this, you wouldn't want an ungodly leader moulding you into something God wouldn't want you to be.
Evaluate
Friend, evaluating a leader before deciding to allow their influence in your life isn't sin. In fact, we should do it. 1 John 4 commands us to carefully examine if a person has godly influence and teaching or not. 2 Corinthians 11 reminds us to not put up with those who teach the wrong things, or else our faith might erode.
To help you choose the right leader, be it in society, in church or in the marketplace, here are a few verses comparing the right leaders from the wrong ones.
Proverbs 29:2 – "When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan."
Proverbs 29:4 – "A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it."
Proverbs 29:16 – "When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall."
Proverbs 16:10 (MSG) – "A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit."
Don't be afraid to say goodbye to wrong influences in your life. Choose insight more than just income or privilege (see Proverbs 16:16). It'll save you from a lot of disappointment and hurt in life.
