Have you ever noticed all the literature in the world is dedicated to leaders? I am even guilty of it; see my last post for example.
Recently I was reading I Chronicles, which is filled with the exploits and heroics of King David. But a section grabbed my attention in a new way. In Chronicles 11, David is holed up in a battle with the Philistines. He says, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!"
Only one problem there oh mighty King David. Bethlehem is the location of the Philistine army, navy, and air force. David you are such a big-dreamer. You and have no idea how ludicrous David's desire for water from his home town well is. It might be like Churchill asking for a pint of beer from Berlin in 1942.
Stop and ask yourself this question: If you are a leader, like David was a leader, what would your followers do next?
Awkward silence has crept into your brain hasn't it.
Here is what my followers would do, either laugh out loud, or get some arrowhead water and change the label to Bethlehem Springs. The reaction of David's followers says a lot about him as a leader doesn't it?
But it says alot more about them as followers. If you don't know the story, 3 of David's followers, three of the baddest ninjas in his army decide to go across enemy lines and get David some water, from the very well he desires it from. The NIV says, "they broke through the Philistine lines" these dudes were so bad they didn't sneak into town and steal some water in the middle of the night.
Such was the loyalty to their leader. They were dedicated to David, because God had installed David into leadership. They seemed to understand that as followers their responsibility was to extravagantly provide for their leader.
What is your responsibility as a follower? Most of us followers act as if our responsibility is to point out our leader's flaws and shortcomings. We feel like our job is to keep them humble. We act as if our calling is to be a thorn in their flesh. Many of us look at our leaders and try to guess how we can take over their position. I'm pretty sure if many of us were among David's followers a request for water behind enemy lines would have led to us meeting with the Elders or Deacons to discuss how unfit our Senior Pastor was to lead. Maybe not a big meeting or a grand takeover scheme, but a quiet conversation that starts just between us and our spouse, or our "closest friend" who just happens to be an Elder in your church.
The day has come for those of us who aren't in Senior Leadership to follow well. David had his mighty men, who can your leader count on? Can he count on you to go to battle for him? But Chris, my leader is flawed; he isn't the leader that David was...Read I Chronicles 11:41, go ahead I dare you. Now go read I Kings 11:14-15.
David wasn't perfect, that's not the standard. He was the God-appointed leader, and that should be enough to induce good followership. What can you do this week to support your leaders? Where do they need a glass of water from? What battles can you go fight on their behalf? How can you and I become more like the Mighty Men of David?
