They all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit. – Jeremiah 40:12

Today's Scripture Reading (September 6, 2026): Jeremiah 40

One limiting factor of growth is leadership. Leadership is required in both our organizations and our individual lives if we are to keep growing. I can't grow those around me past the point where I have the leadership ability to lead. And I will not grow myself beyond the leaders I choose to invite into my life. However, we often don't think about the reverse. If there is a lack of leadership in the organization, we will often fill the void with whoever comes along, rather than wait for the appropriate leader the circumstances require. I believe health might be found somewhere between having all the right leaders in place and continually searching for needed leadership. If we have all the leaders we need, then leadership will be closed, and we will miss out on any benefits from new leaders who may come along. However, if we lack some of the leaders required to keep the organization growing, that lack can result in chaos. Still, the organization can find a healthy position amid the limited chaos.

Judah had leaders, but the leadership was closed. To be a leader in Judah, you had to be born into the position. As a result, under good leadership, the country grew, but under bad leadership, it shrank. Too often, Judah suffered under bad leadership and shrank. As a result, some key Judean leaders lived outside the nation of Judah. However, when Judah's leadership was taken into exile in Babylon, these leaders on the fringes of the nation needed to return to fill the leadership void. And Jeremiah says that is precisely what happened.

The principle is also true for our own personal lives. We are 'led' by key ideas. They shape and guide our lives and help us to grow. But learning also takes a willingness to consider new ideas, incorporate them into our lives, and allow them to lead us. So, without these new concepts to lead us, our lives lose purpose. We become so rigid and closed that we can't accept new ideas, and at that point, we stop growing. Life requires a healthy balance between established concepts and new ideas to keep us fresh and growing throughout our life journeys.

We need to be led by something, but don't be afraid to open yourself up to new ideas. And maybe, even in the chaos, you might have some unexpected fun. Have a great day!

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 41