Godly leaders desire to be effective and give their best to serve God with the gifts they have been given. Effective leaders consistently monitor their conviction and look for signs of leadership deterioration. Review 2 Samuel 15:1-37.

David’s leadership had been blessed by God and Israel had become a world power and served as a shining testimony of their God to all the nations around them. Over time David began to focus more on his personal needs and desires and less on his role as God’s leader. Second Samuel 15 chronicles one of the lowest points in David’s life as a leader of a nation and as a leader in his family. David’s son Absalom became so disillusioned with his father’s leadership that he determined to steal the kingdom and destroy his own father and family. The chapter ends with David fleeing the capitol city and setting up a clandestine network that will infiltrate Absalom’s team to confuse the advice Absalom receives from his advisors and get David insider information.