During one time in his life Saul was a good king. He was God fearing, wise, and lead with integrity. The choices he made lead him down a road that turned him into an evil king and eventually lead to his downfall. Looking at scripture we can find 5 pitfalls that every leader should remember and avoid:
1. Christian leaders need to be patient and wait on God’s timing. King Saul was impatient and disobeyed the commands of the Lord by starting the burnt offering without Samuel. (1 Samuel 13: 7-14).
2. Christian leaders need to determine to destroy everything that could cause them to be disconnected with God. This means avoiding sin and repenting when you do sin. When King Saul defeated the Amalekite nation he did not destroy everything as God had commanded them to do (1 Samuel 15: 1-9).
3. Christian leaders must guard against unrighteous jealously. This can sneak into a leader’s life if they overly focus on other people’s achievements or successes. King Saul heard the song, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” and became wrongfully jealous of David. I believe King Saul was worried that his power and authority was in jeopardy (1 Samuel 18:6-12).
4. Christian leaders must be careful that their planning and thinking is good. The things we think about (our inward life) will be reflected in our actions and behaviors (outward life). King Saul plotted to send David into a task that had a high risk of his life being lost (1 Samuel 18:17-30).
5. Christian leaders need to set and be the example of a Godly leader. This means valuing your people and not leading them astray. This is about having and maintaining good character and having integrity. King Saul asked Jonathan (His son) to assassinate David. Jonathan stood up for David and convinced Saul not to kill him. Saul “vowed that David would not be killed” (1 Samuel 19:1-6).
Question: Have you seen any of these pitfalls in yourself or another leader? What are your thoughts about these pitfalls?
