Beware of the bad leader

Proverbs 1:10-19
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.
11 If they say, "Come along with us;
let's lie in wait for someone's blood,
let's waylay some harmless soul;
12 let's swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse"-
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16 for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.
17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!
18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!
19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
It takes away the lives of those who get it.

I remember in high school how fitting in meant so much to so many people. The cliques would usually have a leader, and the rest would be followers. The leader’s role was to tell the followers what to do, and how to do it; how to dress, talk, or what they were going to do after school. The only reason that people belonged to such a clique was, that was where they felt they belonged, and the leader would be so welcoming.

These cliques, though seemingly harmless, had a big problem. The leaders made all the decisions, which left the followers without the need to think for themselves. Any decision the leader made was acted on without question. If the leader said, “let’s ditch.” all the followers did it. Without the leader, the followers lost their identity.

Bad leaders will entice a follower with promises of money, popularity, or a place where they’re always welcome. The followers of these leaders have very little initiative to get what they want on their own. They’re usually lazy, and in some cases greedy. The enticement by the leader is money with half the work, and twice the speed. These followers are the first ones in line for the get rich quick schemes. They will usually do what ever the leader says no matter what the cost, even if it takes someone else’s freedom, or life.

The greedy man’s golden rule, “He who has the gold, makes the rules.” is a prime example of someone preying on another person’s envy and greed to force that person to follow them. These leaders think that just because they have money, or a quick way to get it, that it gives them the right to be in charge. They constantly make empty promises to their followers. They will use the promises to string the followers along without any genuine concern for the safety or happiness of the follower. If they ever get caught for theft, or for any crime, they will try to make their followers the scapegoat.

According to Proverbs 1:10-19, you should never follow these types of leaders. Not only will they pay for their crimes, but by association, their followers will as well.

Challenge: Learn the difference between a good, and bad leader, then learn how to avoid the bad leader. Following the good leader will lead to a successful life. You won’t ever be caught for a crime you didn’t commit.

Enjoy,
Allen