Wise Christian leaders include God as an integral part of their leadership. They have a high level of dependence on God in their attitude and actions. Read Lamentations 5:14-22.

The leaders of the nation of Judah failed to recognize the authority of God over their nation and that oversight led them to make decisions and condone actions that broke their covenant with God. Jeremiah confesses the sin of the people and also acknowledges that God reigns forever and will ultimately restore what has been lost. Successful Christian leaders don’t depend on their own strength and wisdom but on the sovereign God.

Some leaders fail because of their inability to make the tough decisions. Read Jeremiah 42:1-43:13.

In 586 BC after Babylon captured Judah and exiled most of the populous to Babylon the small contingent of Jews left in the land was made up of the poor, those that came back to Judah from neighboring nations and some field commanders and their troops that slipped through the hands of the Babylonian army. Gedaliah, the governor of Judah appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, was assassinated by a rogue Jewish field commander. The other Jewish field commanders hunted down the rogue army but now those remaining in the land had a decision. Do they stay in Judah believing the Babylonians will accept the flight of the rogue field commander and his troops to Amon as justice for the crime or do they migrate to Egypt, where they felt they would be safe from Babylonian reprisal?

When a leader has poor decision-making skills it will lead to disaster. Read Jeremiah 40:7-41:10.

Babylon had captured Jerusalem; they massacred most of the people, took most of the rest into captivity and exiled them to Babylon but left a small contingent of troops behind with some of the poor people of Judah. Jeremiah was also freed and allowed to stay in Judah. King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as the Jewish governor over the towns of Judah and the few poor people that were left behind.

To be effective, wise leaders must find the real truth even when they receive contradictory counsel from multiple advisors. Read Jeremiah 38:14-28.

The Babylonian army had surrounded Jerusalem and built siege ramps to take the city when Egypt made a military flanking maneuver that demanded Babylon divert its entire force to solve that problem. When the Babylonian troops left Judah to battle the Egyptians some of King Zedekiah’s counselors used the temporary retreat to validate for the king that God was protecting His city and that Babylon would never capture Jerusalem. When Zedekiah put this question to Jeremiah, Jeremiah gave him the truthful answer that God had judged Jerusalem and Babylon would return and this time capture the city. Zedekiah had conflicting information and which he chose as truth would hold in the balance his life, the life of his family and the lives of most living in the city.

A wise leader trusts God even when their heart is inclined to do something contrary to God’s revealed will. Read Jeremiah 17:5-10.

Jeremiah draws a sharp contrast between those who depend on human strength and those who depend on God. A leader who is detached from God is in danger, but one who trusts Him will have the elements essential for His blessing. Jeremiah makes it clear that leaders cannot look to both human strength and dependence on God as their supreme basis for trust. Leaders will either ultimately put their hope in the promises and power of people, or they will look beyond human capability to the person and promises of God.