Global crises abound. Russia is invading Ukraine, China is pressuring Taiwan, Canada is restricting freedoms in favor of government coercion, and America—well, you get the idea.
The increase in global calamities is predictable and biblical (Matt 24), but so is the need for leaders who are capable of handling the turbulence that consumes us.
For that reason, it is a good idea to always remember that God created people, so wise leadership reflects and applies biblical principles. And bad leadership is easily identifiable. When leaders ignore basic human nature and the way God designed people, crises tend to escalate.
Leaders in tough times
So, a crisis reveals the true nature of a leader, good and bad. Leadership is very fluid. Even the best human leaders sometime make bad decisions. But even so, whether the leader is a parent, a pastor, a president, or a prime minister, some biblical principles always apply.
So, it’s no surprise that the Bible is packed with examples of leadership, good and bad. World leaders today will succeed to the same degree that they acknowledge and practice these principles. And they will fail to the same degree that they ignore them.
Saul’s bad leadership
Take King Saul for example. Almost as soon as Saul became King of Israel, he began a string of bad decisions. Nearly all resulted from his desire to assert power over the people under his control and his abject disobedience to God’s clear instructions (1 Sam. 12-15).
On occasion, Saul shined as a leader. But at other times, he exhibited the basics of poor leadership. An episode in 1 Samuel 14 stands out.
Saul’s thoughtless command
In 1 Samuel 14, the Israelites were being continually accosted by the ruthless Philistines. On one occasion the armies fought a series of battles that lasted for days, and by God’s grace the Israelites enjoyed several victories.
But the prolonged clashes had exhausted the Israelite troops. And their condition was worsened by a rash command from Saul—no one could eat anything until the Philistines were defeated. In biblical terms, this was an “oath,” meaning the warriors had pledged to obey Saul’s command or face execution for their disobedience (1 Sam. 14:24).
And then the army marched through a forest floored with honey! Imagine famished, exhausted men in surroundings saturated with enticing food but unable to eat because their leader has restricted them under threat of death.
Jonathan’s response
But then Saul’s son, Jonathan, shows up. He had been away when his father forced the army to swear the oath against eating and didn’t know about it. So, he ate some of the honey. And, mortified, Saul’s men told him about the oath.
They knew that the King’s own son may face punishment, even death, because he broke the oath. And ignorance was no acceptable defense.
But Jonathan was wiser than his dad. Here is Jonathan’s response:
“My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies!” (1 Sam. 14:29-30).
Saul suddenly had to face the consequences of his own foolish command. Should Jonathan die due to Saul’s poor leadership decision? The people intervened and Jonathan was pardoned (1 Sam. 14:42-46).
The story contrasts poor leadership with good leadership and reminds us of four biblical characteristics that always mark good leadership.
- Good leaders give more than they take. Poor leaders take more than they give (Matt. 20:25-28).
Saul’s problem began when he decided to extract every ounce of energy from the people without replenishing them along the way.
In the right circumstances, people are often more than willing to sacrifice for the common good, and even for a leader who shows a good reason for the sacrifice. But there are limits, and people need time to pause and be refreshed before the next skirmish.
And government leaders who try to exert undue amounts of control over the people they serve might have compliance, but they won’t have loyalty or respect. And at the first sign of oppression, a free people will always rebel.
- Good leaders plan for the long term. Poor leaders see only the short term (Gal. 6:9).
Poor leaders tend to be impulsive. They tend to react to situations at hand without being very proactive in their decisions. And they make decisions, issue commands, and require loyalty before they consider the long-term cost their demands will have on those they lead.
But good leaders plan ahead. Of course, there is no way to plan for every contingency, and life has a way of intruding on even the best-laid plans. But leaders know this. Good leaders are careful not to over plan while at the same time keeping the long look in mind.
So bad leaders ignore the consequences of their decisions. They forge ahead with what they want right now. The result is often a worsening set of circumstances that quickly spirals out of control, requiring the leader to apply an even heavier-handed approach to try to solve the problem.
Justin Trudeau’s application of emergency powers in Canada exemplifies this approach. And he is already extending them even after removing the Freedom Convoy’s blockade. Funny thing about leaders who love power—once they have it, they prefer to keep it.
- Good leaders motivate with vision and unity. Poor leaders motivate with fear and guilt (1 Cor. 15:58).
Poor leadership uses fear to achieve compliance. They freeze bank accounts or change laws to achieve temporary conformity or win a skirmish with their own people.
Governments that seek to motivate by fear alienate the people they serve. When the crisis is over, the nation is more divided than before and less motivated than ever to follow that leader.
Whether the leader is a king or queen, president or prime minister, ayatollah or dictator, when people are oppressed, they will despise the leader. They might comply with the law out of fear, but they will rebel when the opportunity arises.
- Good leaders bring out the best in people. Poor leaders bring out the worst in people (Phil. 1:3-20).
Bad laws tend to create worse situations. After Jonathan arrived, the Israelites went to battle again. They defeated the Philistines, but because of Saul’s bad law the people were exhausted and hungry. Finally allowed to eat, they feasted on the cattle and sheep of the Philistines.
That in itself wasn’t bad. God allowed them to take from the spoils of war. But because of their diminished condition, they gorged themselves and ate blood with the meat, directly violating the law of God (1 Sam. 14:31-33).
Free societies work best for a reason. God wired us to exercise personal responsibility, and then reap the results or suffer the consequences of our actions.
When governments and leaders restrict human freedom, they are restricting responsibility. The end result is always that people behave worse, not better.
Right now, global leaders are making choices. And those choices demonstrate, for the world to see, what kind of leaders they really are.
And those choices will determine what the world will be for the foreseeable future.