Food for Thought: "Leadership"

Leadership...

Now that's a hard word to define.

I like to think of it as the act of guiding and setting the course for others.

It's something I'm not good at... or care much about.

See, I have trouble leading my ownself, much less others.

And leading us scientists? Man, that's like trying to lead a bunch of cats.

(And you know how tempermental cats can be.)

But when I think of someone with leadership qualities, I think of blogger "Not So Anonymous"...

She just loooovves politics and local goverment. She's even involved in local government and is a might bit gleeful about it.

You know I've never heard of anything like that before.

And she's on some mission to read the biographies of all the presidents.

Man. That had me seeing crickets. Good grief. And I'm wondering, reading about all those leaders... what ideas will she come up from THAT??? Wow.

She's still young... and most definitely a leader in the making.

There are variuos verses on leadership scattered throughout the latter chapters in the book of Proverbs (the Message translation). I placed an "L" next to those sometime in the past, as I found it interesting.

Many of them make me cringe. Because they were very raw and very TRUE.

So I thought I'd gather them all in one place for one of our future leaders...

Maybe she can print them and place them somewhere... and ponder them in her own leadership endeavors.

Like I said, some of these rubbed me the wrong way. I think of them when my own leadership does some off-the-wall stuff. I can write a dissertation on a few of these scriptures.

So here they are...all the ones I could find, together in one place:



Proverbs 14:28 The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.

Proverbs 16:10 A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.

Proverbs 16:12 Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.

Proverbs 16:13 Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell the truth.

Proverbs 16:14 An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives; you're smart to stay away from someone like that.

Proverbs 16:15 Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives; they're like spring rain and sunshine.

Proverbs 17:7 We don't expect eloquence from fools, nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

Proverbs 19:12 Mean-tempered leaders are like mad dogs; the good-natured are like fresh morning dew.

Proverbs 20:2 Quick-tempered leaders are like mad dogs - cross them and they bite your head off.

Proverbs 20:8-9 Leaders who know their business and care keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and the cheap, for who among us can be trusted to be always diligent and honest?

Proverbs 20:26 After careful scrutiny, a wise leader makes a clean sweep of rebels and dolts.

Proverbs 20:28 Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.

Proverbs 21:1 Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

Proverbs 22:11 God loves the pure-hearted and well spoken; good leaders also delight in their friendship.

Proverbs 25:3 Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.

Proverbs 25:4-5 Remove impurities from the silver and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice; Remove the wicked from leadership and authority will be credible and God-honoring.

Proverbs 28:2 When the country is in chaos, everybody has a plan to fix it- but it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out.

Proverbs 28:16 Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds, but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright.

Proverbs 29:2 When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.

Proverbs 29:4 A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.

Proverbs 29:12 When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.

Proverbs 29:14 Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.

Yeah... I know some of those made you go... hmmm....

But to get all of that and incorporate it and get a basic understanding of it all?

That would be a leader that could get some things done.

You all have a great weekend... On purpose.