It is almost too easy to mix complex relationships and draw a simple conclusion. One that continues to play itself out in daily living is the dangerous combination of truth and blindness.
When we experience good leadership skills we appear to develop a sense of blindness within. I see the longing for confidence in the future, of understanding, and confidence in the next step as almost overwhelming, even to the most confident and disciplined. You know that someone has strong leadership skills when the faith that the people around that leader plays itself out as trust and with consistent truth blindness to what is going on around us. You can see this in action when people follow a copycat approach to solving a problem even though signals around them indicate a difference course. The outcome is a herd mentality when it comes to buying and selling stocks, responding to conflict, or using a unique combination of words to describe a certain situation.
In itself leadership is not good or bad. In many ways some of the most evil people had or have great leadership skills. One clear historical example is Hitler. When leadership skills are used with the hands of someone on the wrong course, broken hearts, minds, and souls result.
It is true that “the mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.” (Proverbs 14.28) Is there a simple measure we can use to determine our faith?
I do not see one simple measure; rather there are a series of simple questions that apply. Look and place the words compassion, mercy, unconditional acceptance of the individual, total accountability, and love beside those that you want to place your trust in. Do they fit? Is there anything that you can see that might conflict with these words? If you see a conflict in one or more of the words, in what way does the leader show some other trait? Can you describe what you see?
Taking this approach helps clear the air. Those on God side quickly comes into focus.
