David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? LORD my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.” – 1 Chronicles 21:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 4, 2019): 1 Chronicles 21

There is an old adage about leadership that a leader, by definition, has followers. Now, I am not talking about followers of the naive or deranged variety (such as might have followed Jim Jones into the jungle or Charles Manson on his crime rampage). But leaders do have followers. I often think with a good leader, they may not even realize that we are following, but we are. The adage makes a point that if you are a leader with no followers, all you really are is just a person out for a walk. For leaders to exist, there needs to be someone who is willing to follow.

One of the things that have always scared me about leadership is the effect that my administration might have on other people. The question of what if I do something wrong or what if something that I do causes the organization to fail - what kind of damage could that do to those who are following me – is a question that can sometimes keep me awake at night. (Okay, I have several things that keep me awake at night.) It is a reality through which, unfortunately, I have to admit that I have lived.

David knew the reality of that pain. It was his decision – his sin – that was now going to cause pain for an entire nation. His sin was going to cause death to some of his followers. And so he cries out to God with a question – why is it that this has to happen this way? God, should it not be me?

But God understands something that every bad guy in the movies knew. Part of what it takes to be a good leader is that leaders put the needs of others above their own needs. So the most significant punishment that a leader can suffer is that his followers feel pain as a direct result of the leader's action. Here, David is actually crying out to God with this thought; God, you could lessen your punishment on me by directing your anger at me.

As some people clamor after positions of leadership, I wonder if they understand this one reality. To be a leader means not only that people are following you, but that you care about those that are following it. And sometimes I think we dream of the times when things go right, and our pleasure is multiplied because of all of those who are walking with us. But the other side of the coin is scary because the truth that David was experiencing is that when things go wrong, the pain in the leader is multiplied because of the pain in all those who are walking with him. And, as David knew too well, that pain is almost unbearable. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 22

See also 2 Samuel 24:17