Character Or Competence?

And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.
Psalm 78:72

Throughout history, we have seen and admired great leaders. Their style, their vision, and their personality vary from one another but one thing is common – they make a difference. Looking up to these great leaders, I can’t help but agree to a well-known pastor who believes “when the leader gets better, the organization becomes better.”

But if we’ll just think of it, what qualities do great leaders possess? Browsing through the internet will give us quite a long list but what does the Bible say about this matter? The writer of Psalms 78 recalled the history of Israel and concluded this lengthy psalm with an interesting description of one of the greatest leaders of Israel named David. Two remarkable things about David aren’t just about his accomplishments (like defeating Goliath and winning many wars). He led with the integrity of the heart and skillful hands.

We all have our own sphere of influence, whether that’s in a company, an organization, a ministry, at school, or at home. We are placed in these positions to bring glory to our God and to lead His people well. If then, what does the Bible say about a great leader? A man with the integrity of heart and skillful hands.