Proverbs 28:2

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about leadership:

Proverbs 28:2 (ESV)

When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge,

its stability will long continue.

Proverbs 28:12

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.

Proverbs 28:15

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

Proverbs 28:28

When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Healthy Leadership for mankind has a Healthy Relationship with God. 

When we read leadership books we seldom, if ever, if ever hear about the relationship of good leadership to Godliness.   People who are greedy, self-seeking, promotion driven, and/or power hungry are not good leaders.  They think they are.  They are also given leadership positions.   We actually assess leaders with assessment that measure their acumen for drive, structure and analysis.  These assessments are not wrong, but they would not pass the test Solomon has laid out for us in the above proverbs.   As we read the above proverbs (and these are the ones out of chapter 28 ONLY), it is evident that Solomon draws a strong and bold line between leadership and righteousness.   There are many ways to define leadership.  Not one leadership guru defines it the same.  But, Solomon is crystal clear:  Great leaders are righteous and that righteousness produces understanding and wisdom and that makes for happy and healthy followers.  When a “man” of understanding (another word in Solomon’s vocabulary for Godliness) is leading, good things happen around him.   If we want to be good leaders we must find a way to connect our leading with our following God.   We can’t expect to lead men if we aren’t following hard after God.  

However, when sin is allowed to reign in the land (organization, country, family) factions develop! Sin, unchecked, causes splits in leadership. On the other hand, when someone is ruling with justice and mercy through, Bibilical knowledge and Godly understanding, the land endures - the orgainization is stable, the country is prosperous and the family sound. When sin is ignored you will see a split and lack of harmony. When justice is part of leadership than stability in the leadership is demonstrated. It is quite easy to identify poor practices of organizations or governments when there is divisions among the people; especially in leadership.  If you are part of leadership and you have divisions this proverb would challenge your resolve and commitment to deal with "transgressions" (sins). When we deal with sin we have harmony and only then.

After reading all these proverbs written by Solomon you would have to come to the conclusion that Solomon understood leadership.   What you would also read is that the thing that really sets one leader apart from another leader is righteousness.  Whether the proverb is telling us to be righteous or to act in a righteous manner in our dealings with those around us.  We wouldn’t read that in most leadership books.   If we want to lead and connect with others we must first follow and connect with God and His righteousness.