Godly Leadership

“When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, “just men who will rule in the fear of God.” The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be sqandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws”.[1]

Noah Webster

No words have screamed so loudly from the past than these words today. How far we have fallen from these wise and profound words. No longer do we follow God’s commands to elect leaders who are “just” and “will rule in the fear of God”. Today some people in our country put party affiliation over principle and character.

What should we look for when voting for public officers? Should they have an R or D after their name? Should they be popular with the people? Should they be rich? Should they pander to peoples wants? None, and I repeat NONE of these should be the basis for voting for public officers. Shamefully, some in our society today use the above criteria in voting for those who seek public office. And we wonder why we have the problems with our government’s as we do today! Shame on us for neglecting our duty to elect men of principle and Godly integrity!

I believe it is time we change this. It starts with knowing what real leadership looks like.

In Exodus 18:21 Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gives Moses some wise counsel concerning choosing men among the Israelites who would handle small matters amongst the people:

Exodus 18:21 (KJV)

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

Friends, we need to look closer at those who desire to be our leaders. We need to apply this verse when voting for those running for office. It’s not enough for candidates to have just an (R) or (D) after their name. It’s not enough for candidates to be well known and liked amongst the people they desire to serve. Again, Noah Webster gives us some profound words which we need to seriously heed:

“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate – look to his character. . . . When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor, he betrays the interest of his country.”[2]

Haven’t we seen enough “men of known Immorality” Rule our country? Haven’t we seen enough of men who betray the interest of our country? Haven’t we seen enough tyranny among our national, state and local public officials? I believe we are dangerously close to becoming a communist country if we are not one already.

Friends, if we truly desire to change our nation, states, and local communities it needs to start with us. It needs to start on bended knee before God seeking His forgiveness for our sins. Nehemiah is a perfect example of a leader who sought God when His homeland of Israel was destroyed. Let us hear his words and take heed:

Nehemiah 1:4–11 (KJV)

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, 5 And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

Let us be like Nehemiah and go before the Lord with our earnest prayers and seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance before we go into the voting booths this election and future elections.

If you would like to know more about becoming a Christian, please visit our page titled, “Salvation” at www.savingfaithministries.org. We would be happy to help you.

Yours in Christ,

Patrick Labriola

Founder, Saving Faith Ministries

[1] The Importance of Voting and Christian Involvement in the Political Arena - WallBuilders [2] The Importance of Voting and Christian Involvement in the Political Arena - WallBuilders