Have you established “favorites” on your team based on assignment? (89-3)

Proverbs 16:11 (tlb) says, “The Lord demands fairness in every business deal. He established this principle.” Effective leaders live by this standard. Read 1 Samuel 30:1-25.

David and his men returned home from a military effort to find their homes burned, their possessions stolen and their families kidnapped. David asked the Lord what he should do and God gave David assurance that he would be able to overtake the perpetrators and get his family and possessions back. During the pursuit approximately one third of the men could no longer keep up the pace so the other two thirds stripped off their extra gear to lighten their load, left it with those that could not go on and moved quickly to get their families and possessions back. Just as God had foretold, they did catch up to the raiders, defeated them and took back their possessions and families.

Up until now this is a great story of David’s leadership to another victory. The trouble only came when they returned and those who had gone into battle did not want to share the plunder with those that had stayed behind to guard the supplies. The efforts against an outside enemy bonded David’s men but the greater test of David’s leadership came when the internal conflict threatened to divide his men. David demonstrated great leadership when he took the men’s focus off their roles in the victory and said, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He (the Lord) protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us… the share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to battle. All will share alike.”

How many times have leaders had to deal with divisions between field staff and office staff when people forget that everyone on the team is gifted and given their assignment by God? If a godly leader takes their eye off that fact for even a moment, they will divide, not unite, their team.

How are you doing with the fairness demanded in Proverbs 16:11? Have you established “favorites” on your team based on assignment? It is tough for someone in service departments to be a hero but if they fail to do their work even for a day, everyone will suffer and projects may fail. Effective godly leaders see every worker as a gift from God.