Today’s Scripture Reading (February
11, 2016): 1 Samuel 26
Leadership
is a strange animal. It is not, as many people seem to assume, the ability to
send people somewhere to do your bidding. It has nothing to do with power or
position. You can take a position where you are supposed to lead, but unless
you are a leader, there will be no leadership taking place. I hear stories of
people who enjoy sitting in their boss’s office when he is away and pretending
that they are the ones in charge. And sometimes they have been left in charge,
but the act of sitting in a chair with your feet on the boss’s desk is often
diametrically opposed to the real idea of leadership. Because essentially
leadership is an action.
So what
exactly is leadership? We have a great example of it here in the life of David
and it involves two critical issues. First, a leader knows where is going (and
note – he is going, not sending). He may not always want to articulate it, but
he knows. I am a dreamer and there are many parts of my dream that right now
remain a private thing in my thoughts, but my dreams tell me that I know where
I want to go. And I have the specifics laid out. Partially the reason why my
dream remains private is because I do not want the dreams to scare those people
who have gathered around me. But make no doubt, I know where I want the
organization that I lead to go, and I am willing to do the hard work to get us
there.
But the second
element necessary to be a leaders is having someone who is willing to come with
you. The old Afghan proverb is actually right. “If you think you’re leading and
no one is following you, then you’re only taking a walk.” Someone must be
willing to come with you if you are going to lead.
David is a
leader. First, he knows where he is going. Oh, I know that David has some nebulous
idea that one day he will be king, and there are many who want to follow him
into that glorious future, but for David, that dream remains in the future.
Between David and that reality is King Saul, an army and David’s own conviction
that he is currently the servant of Saul and not the successor of Saul. One day
he will be king, but right now he is simply going down into the camp of Saul.
It is a mission that is filled with danger – and it contains very little glory.
It is the ultimate test of David’s leadership. This is where I am going (note
he is not sending his soldier down into the camp, he is going himself), will
anyone come with me.
It is Abishai
who is willing to go. From the stories that we have of David and his leadership,
I would be willing to say that if David had broadcasted his request to more people,
he would hav had more volunteers. But that is not what he needs right now.
David needs one person willing to come with him. Abishai is willing to follow
David because he trusts David’s leadership. Deep down, he probably can’t wait
for David to become king, but before that happens he is willing to follow David
anywhere David needs him, even if it is into the valley – and even if the
valley is not glorious.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1
Samuel 27
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