Readings for today: Deuteronomy 17-20, Psalms 59
The most important quality a person can possess is strong, godly character. But godly character does not form overnight. It’s not something we stumble into. It’s doesn’t happen by random chance. It requires development. A long obedience in the same direction. An intense focus every single day of our lives. The more influence and power a person has, the more important and impactful their character becomes. Those who lack godly character drag down those around them. Those who’ve taken the time to develop godly character lift everyone up. Everyone feels it from family to friends to neighbors to colleagues. Everyone knows it when they experience it.
This is why God sets the expectation that the most important practice a king or ruler can engage in is daily meditation on His Word. Listen to the directions God gives kings from the book of Deuteronomy again, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, take possession of it, live in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,’ you are to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people. However, he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself. When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 CSB) What is the most important quality for a king? It’s not the accumulation of wealth or power or influence, it’s the cultivation of godly character. Each king is to make a personal copy of God’s law that he will then read and reflect on every single day of his life. The goal is for him to learn to fear the Lord and obey His commands so he might remain humble and rule his people with righteousness. And we see this happen in Israel’s history. The good kings exhibited a godly character while the evil kings lacked this important quality.
What about us? What about our leaders? What do we look for in the people who lead us politically, socially, economically, even ecclesiastically? What are the most important qualities we look for in a president or member of Congress? A governor or mayor or town council member? A leader in business or education? A pastor or other church leader? Is it godliness? Or is it power? Authority? Popularity? Influence? Wealth? Success? Tragically, we tend to look for anything but godliness in our leaders today. It’s why we find ourselves in the mess we’re in. We look for leaders who will tear down others, attack our “enemies”, channel our outrage, prey upon our fears, and tell us lies we will believe. Sure, we can try to blame them but here’s the honest, if hard, truth. They are simply a reflection of us. Their lack of character is a reflection of our own lack of character. We don’t elect or vote for godly leaders because we lack godly character ourselves. And therein lies the fundamental problem in our world. In a democratic society, we get the leadership we deserve. Our system is perfectly designed - from top to bottom - to produce the kind of leadership we are getting right now. And if there is ever to be any hope for a change, it must begin with the people of God making the commitment to develop the character of God above all else.
Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 21-23, Psalms 60