What areas of your leadership don’t match Biblical truths? (75-4)

When a leader makes a mistake that has lasting implications, the new test will be of their character concerning how they maintain their integrity in a bad situation. Read Joshua 9:16-21 and 10:1-15.

All the people of Israel heard about the treaty with the Gibeonites and within three days of the treaty being made the entire population knew their leaders had been duped. “The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but all the leaders answered, ‘We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.’”

Every experienced leader reading this could predict with certainty that a decision to honor God will soon be tested to see if it is talk or truth. Talk is easy but confirming a truth means your actions substantiate the words that have been spoken. The Bible states, “Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.” Once the word spread to the other kings in the region that the Gibeonites had made a treaty, it became strategic for these kings to capture this city and force the people to fight against Israel to slow the advance of the Israelite army.

Joshua and the other leaders of Israel had an “out” if they wanted to take it. If the Gibeonites broke the treaty in any way, even by being forced to break it by another power, Israel would have been free to destroy the Gibeonites and “undo” the mistake they had made when tricked into making the treaty. The only promise the Israelites had made was that “they” would not destroy Gibeon.

Joshua erred in not consulting the Lord concerning the Gibeonites. But, once having made a covenant with them, Joshua knew it was his duty to honor his covenant and defend the Gibeonites from their enemies. The integrity to keep his word even in a bad situation demonstrated a teaching God later stated clearly through King David in Psalm 15 when describing who was worthy to stand on His holy hill as one “…who keeps his oath even when it hurts” (v. 4b). Leaders effectively honor God with their leadership by putting both words and action in their daily practices that match the truths of the Bible.

What are the areas of your leadership that seem to be most difficult to have your actions match the Biblical truths? A leader’s action will match the core truths established in their heart. If your actions do not hold to Biblical standards start by evaluating what you hold as truth.