stevemayner.com

Scripture
1 Chronicles 13:11 (NIV) 11 Then David was angry because the Lord's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

Observation
Yesterday I wrote about how David learned a valuable lesson in leadership. He learned that as a leader you have to think about what you say, because casual comments can have unintended consequences. As I continued reading in 1 Chronicles, again David gets a tough lesson in leadership, only this time the cost is much higher. Things are going so great, he has such a powerful army surrounding him, that he decides that they should go retrieve the ark and bring it back to Jerusalem. On the surface this does not seem to be a problem. It was a plan that seemed resonable. David even did a great leadership thing and consulted with his subordinate leaders to get their input. So far it seems like David is on a roll. They go to where the ark is located and they prepare to haul it out. To transport it, they plan to place it on a cart. Now, anyone who paid attention earlier in the Old Testament when Moses was given instructions for transporting the ark, would know that God was very specific about how that was to be done. So David's whole "ark on a cart" plan should have raised an eyebrow or two. Along the way there was a moment where it looked like the ark was going to fall off of the cart. The roads were pretty rough compared to what we are used to today, and they didn't have rubber tires, so that cart ride had to have rattle the ark pretty good. In that moment when it seemed like it was going to topple over, one of David's honorable men did what would seem to be a noble deed.. he raced over to the cart to steady the ark and keep it from biting the dust. And for his act of concern he was rewarded by being struck down dead by God.

Huh?

Rewind to the instructions for the ark again, and we are reminded that God's law was that no one could touch the ark or they would die. The ark was touched, so the consequences were tragic. The tough lesson for David was that the situation should never have occured in the first place. He knew God's orders for how the ark was to be carried, and he ignored them. He decided his plan was better. Why he didn't just follow the instructions, we will never know. The hard lesson for David was that he was not the one who paid the price for his bad decision making... one of his men did. So often that is the case. As leaders we make decisions and it is our employees or our church that end up paying the price if we do not decide wisely. Our leadership should always be measured against the commands of God to make sure they align with His principles. If they do not, it is almost guaranteed that something will not go well, and others may be the ones who suffer the consequences.

Application
How many times when I am making a decision as a leader do I stop and think... "Has God spoken on this topic? Are there scriptures that apply to this situation? Have I heard from the Holy Spirit? Does He have some guidance that I need to follow?" When I don't take the time to ask those questions, I'm basically saying "Thanks God, but I've got it from here.... no help needed, thank you very much..." The consequences of leading outside the will of God can be devastating. As a leader I have to understand that God's plan is always the best plan. If I haven't done what is necessary to receive God's plan and follow it, then my leadership will not bring about the best for the kingdom, for my church, for my family, or for me. That is my responsibility.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the privilege of leading. Help me to always remember that you are the true leader, and my job is to lead others as you lead me. Help me to always make decisions that line up to what you direct. Thanks for growing me and teaching me as a leader so I can honor you and those I lead by always leading in your will.