Leader or Dictator?

"Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you." {Hebrews 13:17 NIV)

Having confidence in leaders who care about those they lead is easy when their leadership ability is evident. However, not everyone in a leadership position is a true leader, as defined by The Word.

People in leadership positions, enabled by God as His appointed ones--seek His wisdom in all decisions and never do things that cause the people they lead grief. Dictators cause grief because the only person they care about is them and their own agenda, not what is best for the people. They seek the counsel of those who are like-minded--greedy for power, not understanding that most dictators are not loved, but hated.

What is sad to me is that many people in leadership positions--don't understand the role in which they find themselves. A true leader--takes the initiative in understanding exactly what their role is and in finding ways to enhance what they do to enhance the benefit of all they lead. They seek Godly counsel in all matters before making decisions that would harm anyone. They are facilitators, not dictators because they seek input from all involved and encourage involvement by all in making decisions. True leaders--do not attempt to abuse or misuse their positions nor do they manipulate others, abusing the authority they have been given.

But the one thing that most "hired help" forget is just like they were hired to fulfill a position of leadership, they can be fired from it and usually are when they abuse the authority of the position.

I'm sure we all know such leaders--they come in all forms and capacities. They are the leaders in the police departments, the leaders in school districts, the leaders in churches, and the leaders in corporations--all hired and all should be fired when they do not know how to lead, and choose to dictate to others--with no regard as to what is best for the people they lead.

The Word of God tells us to pray for those in authority over us and I do. However, we are not told to just lay down and allow hired help to walk all over us. We must take action and they must realize their position is tenuous at best--especially if they develop dictator mentality.

One of the saddest things to see is a leader who professes to know God, get high-minded and abuse their positions, becoming dictators and not leaders.

When should we have confidence in leadership? When the leadership has earned our confidence as demonstrated in their ability to lead--with the best interest of those they lead--then we can confidently follow their example. If they are incapable of demonstrating ability to lead, we should not follow them blindly because the blind leading the blind, usually end up in a rut, going nowhere.

Pray for leadership and when it is necessary to act when they demonstrate their inability to lead, get up and get busy, doing all that is necessary to remove them to save all from becoming victims of dictatorship.