Good and Bad Leaders

 

    I don't know about you, but I don't want to be around perfect people.  It would only make my imperfections stand out like a huge stain on a white dress.  At the same time I don't want to be around people that don't hold themselves to standards which require being better today than yesterday.  When it comes to leaders, they have to have personal standards and clear standards for the people they lead.

    Rehoboam's son, Abijah, became king over Judah when his father died, but only reigned three years.  His father was a failure as a king, so it would be his chance to change things.  It is unfortunate that he too did not dedicate himself to following God.  He took over where Rehoboam stopped with the warring with Jeroboam.  When he died, his son Asa succeeded him.

    King Asa reigned 41 years because he did chose to follow God.  He was not perfect, but he rid Judah of the idols and male prostitutes.  He did not destroy the high places (pagan temples).  He understood how the land was when His great great grandfather reigned (Solomon) versus his grand father and father.  He fought King Baasha of Israel.  He made a treaty with King Ben-Hadad of Aram.  When he got old, his feet became diseased.  Whatever the disease was, it finally took his life.  I am thinking maybe it was diabetes.  When he died, Jeoshaphat succeeded him.  

    King Nadab of Israel only reigned two years after King Jeroboam died.  He did evil in God's eyes, so God allowed Baasha to kill him.  Baasha took the throne for himself and killed Jeroboam's whole family fulfilling the curse that God had placed on it.

    No one will be a perfect leader.  It is the leader's job to learn from the mistakes and victories of their predecessors to try to do better.  They just need to do what is right and show others how to do better.  They don't need to micromanage, be a dictator, or not be present.  They don't have to be the people's best friend.  They just need to do everything they can to live by God's standards.

1 Kings 15