Welcome to part three of four on my series on leaders. Today’s post has taken me some time, because I wanted to make sure I was in the right head space. There is so much division in our country right now. My goal at the start of this series was to keep personal opinions, feelings, and emotions out of it. I want the Word of God to speak for Himself. So here we go. What warning signs does God give us concerning corrupt, evil, and bad leaders? There are three I’m going to highlight: oppression of the poor, abusive authority, and being untrustworthy. This is not an exhaustive list. You may even notice other warnings within the scriptures I share today.

It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness. – Proverbs 16:12

An evil leader is an oppressor. Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his day (Proverbs 28:15-16). In chapter 29 of Proverbs verse two says, When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. The chapter goes on in verses 13-14 to say, The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both. If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever. A destitute leader who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food (Proverbs 28:3 CSB). I like what the Berean Study Bible says about this verse. It explains that, “This phrase highlights the paradox of a leader who, despite being in a position of authority, is impoverished in resources or character. In Biblical times leaders were expected to be shepherds of their people, providing guidance and protection. The oppression of the poor by such leaders are called to uphold righteousness and justice (Proverbs 29:14). The Bible consistently emphasizes God’s concern for the poor and marginalized, as seen in Psalm 82:3-4 and Isaiah 1:17. The failure of a leader to care for the poor is a violation of divine principles and reflects a lack of wisdom and understanding.” Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3-4 NIV). Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17 NIV). One of the Hebrew words for poor means “lack of.” Are you voting for and supporting leaders who are helping those who lack education, lack food and other basic needs, lack of faith? What are you doing to help the poor in health, spirit, and finance?

The second red flag that a leader is corrupt is that they abuse their authority. Peter appeals to the elders of the church in 1 Peter 5:2-3. Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly – not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. In Ezekiel the Lord says, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts (Ezekiel 34:1-5). In one of my previous posts I used two passages where Jesus said He came to serve not to be served. Here is a similar passage in Luke, where the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest and Jesus response. “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? It is not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves (Luke 22:24-27 ESV). If you are in a leadership position, whether at church or job, are you serving those in your flock or are they serving you? If you are the head of your household, are you lording it over your family? What about the leaders you support, are they serving their supporters or are their supporters serving them?

Another red flag is a leader who is not trustworthy. If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked ( Proverbs 29:12). It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes (Psalm 118:9 NLT). Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there (Psalm 146:3 NLT). You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade. But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced (Isaiah 30:2-3 NLT). This is what the Lord say: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in a barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land (Jeremiah 17:5 NLT). These scriptures are only a few of what God’s word says about trustworthiness. Who are you putting your trust in man or the Lord? Who are you listening to those who have a heart of God or those who have turned away from God’s truth? Are you supporting leaders who rely on God’s strength or their own strength?

I want to close with a couple passages we have all heard many times. A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart (Matthew 12:33-35). What fruit are we talking about? The fruit of the Spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). If these are the fruit of a good tree, then the fruit of a bad tree must be the opposite: hate, discouragement, discord, fear, hostility, cruelty, disloyalty, harsh, instability. What tree are you eating from? What fruit are you consuming?

Until another day,

AC