The Law of Solid Ground Part 11
Leaders Who Move Boundaries-Hosea 5:10
Boundary stones were to be fixed and so bring definition to a plot of land. Israel’s leaders moved what never should have been moved; they compromised values. Leaders who cannot be trusted with basic integrity will surely suffer God’s anger. Every organization needs boundary stones. Leaders must establish and keep them.
Israel’s Leaders Broke-Hosea 10:3, 4
How had Israel drifted into such serious sin? Hosea’s answer: Israel had no real leadership. False promises had eroded the peoples confidence in their leaders. They concluded: “We have no king. . . . They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant” (Hos. 10:3, 4). People follow only in proportion to their trust in the leader.
Remove Planks from Eyes-Amos 2:4-16
The entire first chapter of Amos and part of the second detail God’s judgment on Israel’s neighbors. No doubt Israel enjoyed these words. They likely cheered Amos on, yelling, “Preach it, brother! Those heathen nations really need to get their act together!”
Once Amos finished with Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab, however, he directed his words closer to home—to Judah. Now his listeners probably squirmed. Finally, Amos dropped the bomb and declared judgment on Israel. Everyone grew quiet. How dare Amos lump them into God’s judgment!
Quality leaders remain objective. And they can be trusted because they see the “plank in their own eye” before trying to remove the speck from their brother’s (Matt. 7:3-5). When leaders fail to be objective, people began to question whether their perspective is skewed by self-interest. Trust wanes. People trust leaders who practice the Law of Solid Ground. Such leaders fulfill three primary objectives:
- Protection: To make sure the people are defended from harm.
- Provision: To make sure the people are resourced to do their work.
- Progress: To make sure the enterprise reaches the desired destination.
Join me next time for The Law of Solid Ground Part 12.