Leadership Laws: The Law of E. F. Hutton Part 1

Eve Speaks-Genesis 3:4-6

Remember the old TV commercial? “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” Regardless of their titles, real leaders influence others. The story of Eve demonstrates the impact of negative influence. Although God commissioned Adam as her spiritual leader, Eve usurped the role of influencer. Adam followed his wife rather than God, and together they lead humankind into sin.

Samuel: Audience Through Service-1 Samuel 4:1

Have you ever wondered what gave Samuel such credibility with others? When he spoke, people listened.

Few descriptions offer a greater compliment than the one given to Samuel’s leadership in 1 Samuel 3:19, 20: “So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.”

Samuel’s success began when he was just a boy, under his mentor Eli. God spoke to Samuel during the night, then the lad spoke for God to Eli (1 Sam. 3:11-18). Despite the hardness of God’s message to Eli, Samuel spoke the truth in love. This encounter began a long pattern for Samuel.

Soon, the Israelites sought out Samuel to speak words of direction for their future. They needed help to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant. They needed strategy against their enemy, the Philistines. They eventually sought his permission to crown a king, like the other nations around them.

The influence of the prophet just kept growing. It grew so vast, that when King Saul failed in his leadership, Samuel removed him. Imagine, having the sole authority to kick out even the reigning king! Samuel lived long enough to give the Israelites two kings. Samuel exhorted, he affirmed, he corrected, he prophesied, he reminded, and taught the people. When he died, all of Israel gathered to mourn his loss (25:1). Indeed, this was a man of impact!

Join me next time for The Law: E. F. Hutton Part 2.