Leadership is organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal. I'm beginning a four-part series on Biblical leadership the first Sunday in August. The past two days have been a start on that series, from my reading and my research, looking at Nehemiah and the passion it takes to lead, then at Moses and the fact that leaders need followers to lift them when the going has gotten too tough.
Today as a prelude or promo for the third part of the series, I want us to look at age restrictions to leadership.
When I was in my early 20s, I would interview athletes who were about the same age as I was, I always thought I would be much better at the task when I got older. I'm not sure that was true.
A leader is a leader, from young to old. Those traits are seen at an early age and they only get more prominent as the leader grows. The clearest example in scripture, I believe, is that of David -- the boy king.
In 1 Samuel, David is called by God to be anointed to take Saul's place as king after Saul is rejected by the Lord. Samuel, the prophet, goes to Bethlehem to find the new king. God says to Samuel, "Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king."
Long story short, Samuel goes to Bethlehem and goes through several sons of Jesse looking for the person who would become king. None would do. Till one last son is brought out of the field where he is watching the sheep.
So lies the tale of how David became king of Israel. The youngest. The thinnest. The least likely of them all, and he becomes king.
This happens before David meets Goliath and his destiny of being a giant killer is set.
This happens before David meets BFF Jonathan.
This happens before the great moments of David's life even are glimpses in his mind's eye.
The Lord says to Samuel, who can't believe David is the once and future king about David's brother Eliab: "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected (Eliab). The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
The Lord picked a little, bent theologian terrorist named Saul to become church planter Paul.
The Lord picked an old, childless couple to be the parents of a nation.
The Lord picked a stuttering murderer to lead his people out of captivity.
The Lord picked a fisherman to build his church on.
In each case, the key to the sentence is "the Lord picked." When the Lord is involved, no matter how it looks, things go smoothly.
I saw an item yesterday on Facebook in which there were two photos. On the left, a tattooed man with tats all down his arms and such gave the impression that he was a motorcycle gang member at best. On the right was the same guy wearing a white doctor's coat. The words said something to the effect that we never know if the guy holding our lives in his hands might be the guy we wouldn't want to invite to dinner.
People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
David was "the" guy in the mind of God. He served in Saul's court. He took down the greatest challenge to the Israelites in battle with just a sling and some rocks. At one point before he became "king," David had 600 men following him. He was a leader among leaders, the best of the best.
Why? I suggest it was because he understood why he was successful. "Don't be selfish with what the Lord has given us," David told his men. "He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. ... We share and share alike -- those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment."
Leadership, Biblical leadership, understands first and foremost that God is on the throne.
"Lead me by your truth and teach me," David wrote in the 25th psalm, "for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my h ope in you. ... the Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands."
Samuel and the family of Jesse saw a young man who smelled like a sheep. God saw a king.
Don't let anyone sell you short. Who you are and what you're capable of remains between you and God. You might have but a few stones to throw, but with God leading the way, those stones might change the world.
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