leadership and responsibility

As an Army Guard officer, one key leadership lesson I learned was this: Listen to your people. If you’re the only one who wants to do something, you’re either that much wiser than everyone else or you’re wrong. Take the time to find out which it is.

Saul evidently had different leadership training. In his passion to kill David, he didn’t take much advice. Here’s an example I read this morning, from 1 Samuel 22:17-19: “Then the king ordered the guards at his side: ‘Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.
“But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
“The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.”

Always when I’ve read this passage I’ve disliked Doeg. True, as an Edomite he has no reason to have any loyalty to David or the priesthood, but he comes off as a sneaking spy who ratted David out. His willingness to slaughter the priests, horrific as it is, seems no more than what such a man would be willing to do to gain favor.

Today, I’m seeing Doeg as a tool of Saul. The king needed such a man because all of his officials refused to follow through on the massacre. Only the Edomite was willing; he was the weapon, but was wielded by Saul. So my disgust really is for Saul, who ignored his men and authored such evil.

It’s a reminder that those in leadership, even just the informal leadership that comes from influence, have a huge responsibility. People will do things because we say so, or even just because they think we might want it. If we’re not careful, a lot of hurt can grow from the things we say, because others may act on them.

Sometimes I don’t want to lead anyone; there’s too much responsibility. But God has put me here, and given me some authority and influence. It’s up to me to be sure that the vision I communicate and the actions I encourage are ones that God would approve.