“Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel.'”1 Chronicles 10:2; 2 Samuel 5:2, New King James Version.
- A Definition
This is true of many organisations such as churches, offices, countries, communities. Who has the title of headship in not necessarily who inspires the people. That they even reverence someone does not always mean that they follow that person. The noble Saul was their ruler, but the simple David was their leader; he “led Israel out and brought them in.”
Generally speaking, and from the story of King Saul and the young David in his courts, we can define the ruler as the supreme head of a people, a system, a country, a church, an organisation, a group; the one who holds power and authority over them. That person could be a king, a president, a Bishop, a CEO, etc.; some titled and entitled personality over a people. While the people might have a titled ruler, the leader (even if untitled) would be the one to whom the people more naturally gravitate, the one with whom they flow, the one who inspires and guides them towards a common goal or vision.
According to our passage, “even when Saul was king,” David was “the one who led Israel out and brought them in.” Saul was ruler, David was leader. Saul received the respectful salute of the people, but David had their involved attention. They reverenced the king, but they followed the leader. One commanded their eyes, the other inspired their feet and dictated their direction. To one they gave their duties, to the other they gave themselves.
There are churches with a big pastor where, when members have issues, whom they call is not that pastor but some untitled brother or sister. One is ruler, wielding power; the other is their leader, motivating them. They honour the ruler, but they follow the leader. Sometimes when this happens, the proud and insecure ruler resorts to public attacks or subtle hostilities. Sometimes the target is vilely publicly discredited or promptly exiled far away in a ‘transfer’ to some unreachable wilderness branch, as if to bury them out of sight and out of mind.
When unconfident rulers start thus to use powers at their disposal to fight perceived leaders in their space, as King Saul sought desperately to do to David to silence him, they merely help to announce whom they seek so desperately to obscure, and themselves they open up to demonic affliction (1 Samuel 18:7-10). Wiser rulers take such developments as cues to note their lack and work on themselves.
- The Choices before Rehoboam
When Rehoboam the son of Solomon came to the throne, the people confronted him with a crucial question, seeking to know what kind of leadership style he intended. They were clear what they wanted: “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects” (1 Kings 12:4, New Living Translation). According to the King James Version, “and we will serve thee.”
Rehoboam called two kinds of advisers on what answer to give to the delegation. The choice was between being a ruler and being a leader. The amateur group of young ‘advisers’ told him to be a tough ruler or be swallowed by the masses. The wiser elders advised him thus: “If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever” (1 Kings 12:7). They told him four people-oriented but very cheap things to do to secure the loyalty of the people “for ever”:
- BE a Servant-Leader – In other words, don’t just say it; don’t merely be so named on newspaper headlines and on the lips of praise singers; BE it – a servant: in your demeanour, your language, your carriage, your projects; in all the ways you relate with them, BE it. There are too many bosses and tormentors up there who claim to care but do not; who claim to be serving but are tyrants. Their nature opposes their claims. “BE a servant.” Jesus similarly taught this important first lesson in effective leadership. He “sat down” – because it was an important topic; then “called” the disciples to Himself – as if to a Special Board Meeting, and He said: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all”; and again, “whosoever” would be “the chiefest” should be “servant of ALL” – yes, all; not the servant of some, such as a selected privileged few, but the servant of all; not a cosmetic ‘servant’ of ‘the poor’ merely by sitting and dining with them in front of TV cameras during electioneering campaigns, then forgetting them until another election season, but an actual servant in nature, without discriminations based on tribe or tongue or social class (Mark 9:35; 10:44). “BE a servant.”
- Serve Them – Besides being, besides merely priding yourself with the name of a ‘servant-leader,’ actually, practically “serve them” – the people; let them feel and see the service, not the lies and ignominious political propaganda on headlines. Not all heads serve their people. Many serve foreign interests and their private gains; not the people. The first counsel, BE; the next, DO.
- Answer Them – There are many rulers too busy to have time for the people they claim to be leading, or too high to stoop down and care about those ‘underlings.’ Jesus responded to a sudden invitation to dinner with a tax collector; it pained the rulers. He took up little children to play and pray with them; it shocked His protocols. He was a Leader. Unlike Him, there are pastors, governors, managers, presidents, CEO’s, chairmen whose intimidating array of protocols, processes, and personnel makes it easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. They answer nobody, except their class and their kind. If the people should attempt to speak to them by protests, by placards, by telephone calls, by emails, by text messages, by newspaper advertorials, by coming haggard and hungry and late to church or to the office, they answer not. The people’s scream is not often loud enough for their regal ears. Who are you to call their telephones!
- Speak Good Words to Them – How much does it cost to tell someone that their dress is beautiful, to ask how their family is doing, to reply to their messages, to not be harsh and brash? How much does it cost to speak good words to an angry crowd or an offended clan? On the contrary, it costs much to speak the wrong words. It costs legal fees, church breakup, marriage split, disinterest at job, failure at school, and many more woes. Some rulers have a caustic tongue sharper than the flames of hell. Of Naphtali it was said, “he giveth goodly words” (Gensis 49:21). Of Rehoboam it could not be so said. And of you…?
Those time-tested advisers were sure that if King Rehoboam did those things, the people could follow him ‘sheepishly’ even over a cliff; they would die serving him. Unfortunately, the doom that would take the young ruler wouldn’t let him make the right choice. The novice that he was, he chose the advice of the young brats, to be a ruler instead of a leader. He wanted to act tough; to prove that he was strong. He threatened the people with the powers of a ruler. What did he get? His kingdom got promptly split. A trumpet sounded over the social media and all across the news networks: “To your tents, O Israel” (1 Kings 12:16).
Supposing that the situation was something he could quell with the ‘superior force’ of the state, the ruler quickly called out his army to ‘restore normalcy,’ but too late. He had lost power to the people, and God was on their side. They found a leader – someone who seemed to care about how they felt. They quickly followed that leader “out” of Rehoboam’s empire and never returned.
A very insightful expose on Leadership and rulership, with lucid examples from the scripture. This is a must knowledge for men in authority in all strata so we can build our Nations according to the DUE ORDER. Thanks a million to the Preacher.
When I read this in the schema of the message, ‘According to our passage, “even when Saul was king,” David was “the one who led Israel out and brought them in.” Saul was ruler, David was leader. Saul received the respectful salute of the people, but David had their involved attention.’ I realised that our society is in dire need of leaders. God bless you, sir.
This is so timely to me. Thank you so much Sir. I have learnt that serving others earns people’s loyalty and followership, and that People naturally gravitate towards a servant leader.
What a great lesson for those of us that have ear to hear. The difference is as clear as the morning sun. May God help me not to become a stranger to the people I am sent to be part of them.
The world is in dire need of Leaders. True leaders are never in competition with their likes. The rivalry between world rulers is the reason peace has eluded the world, as each ruler tries to prove a point at the expense of the citizens. LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE, WHEREAS RULERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT THE RULER.
Thank God for the Preacher!