Leading in the Time to Lead

Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem…”
1 Chronicles 20: 1


Observation:
David, the man after God’s own heart, was very human. His relationship with God sets a bar for many honest believers that pursue intimacy with the Lord. But also his mistakes help us to have an insight about wisdom lessons that we can apply in our lives. As a leader, king David was phenomenal with an impeccable record until this instance recorded in the first book of Chronicles. It was springtime, which is usually the season where kings go to war. His assignment as a king was to provide safety to the people of Israel and lead the army into battle. In fact, that was the very quality that gave David a good reputation among other world leaders and a respectful love among his own people. But for some reason David decided to rest and let others lead when he was supposed to lead. For the kingdom this decision didn’t brought immediate damage since Joab was very capable to lead and bring the victory to David’s army. But in the long run, the king lost focus in his assignment, got distracted with the lavished lifestyle of the royal treatment, and lost the direction of his heart towards the people and towards God. The assignment that God gave David became secondary due to David’s choices. His placer and comfort became a priority over his calling to lead. And that decision brought too much unnecessary pain to David and to Israel.

Application:
When leaders retrieve to rest in the times when their leadership is necessary, their character and influence is affected negatively. According to Paul, Leadership demands diligence, which implies an extraordinary sense of timing and a superb discernment to be involved in the areas where anointed leadership is needed the most (Rom. 12:8). David came to a point where he lost the correct sense of timing. Instead of fighting and leading, he retrieved to the convenience of the palace. In the same way, many church leaders miss the best opportunities to lead and conquer because they don’t develop the discernment necessary to spot the times when leadership is needed the most. Many church leaders prefer the comfort of compromise and avoid inconveniences and hard work. In a distorted search for effectiveness they settle for shortcuts, poor investments, and status quo. They stay in their desks looking busy but not involved in the specifics of their calling. They work hard in something else rather than in God’s assignment for their lives. Such leaders are destined for poor results and unfruitful ministries.
I truly believe that leaders can be in the highest level of leadership in the books of men but in the very lowest in the books of heaven. Sometimes the success and victories are just a façade for a heart in ruins, a character with serious structural problems, and a ministry that stands tall sustained by toothpicks. They are at the same place where David was at this time. They are at the verge of major moral failure, adding more soap in my slippery slope, ready to be pushed over the cliff. These critical times demand critical solutions. Their life and ministry are at stake here and they themselves are the only person responsible for it. They either focus in their assignment and move on to the next level of leadership or continue in a path of destruction that could affect not only their personal life but their family and hundreds more that follow their lead. The key here is diligence in order to lead in the times of leading. I believe that we are not able to fulfill our call on our own. We need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to keep going. We need to go back to the heart of worship and allow Jesus to lead His church through us.


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please forgive me for the multitude of my sins, especially for the times when taking my assignment as a low priority in my life. Please don’t let me hit rock bottom in order to change. Help me to change right now and to completely turn to you the way I’m supposed to. Please have mercy on me, on my family, and on those who follow me. Give me a passion to be a diligent leader that spends his time in leading, not in self-gratification. Help me to steward all the resources you provided for my assignment in a way that honors you. Instead of using them as instruments for sin, help me to redeem them and use them to advance your kingdom in my heart first, and then in the places you entrusted me with leadership. I’m in a critical place in my life. I have a strong sense of being at the most crucial crossroad in my life. My spirit wants to go your way, but my flesh wants to follow the slippery slope. I trust in your power to transform me and to rearrange the condition of my heart. I need your help to become diligent and passionate about leading well. Please Lord, I’m in your hands. Do with me whatever it takes to become the leader you have called me to do. AMEN!