It is almost impossible to see Righteous Leadership anywhere in the world. The phrase “Righteous Leadership ” only sounds beautiful in the ears, but almost unattainable. As we all may have come to realize already, that the vacuum in any society today is usually linked to bad leadership. Whether in Africa or in North America, Europe or in Asia; society vacuums are created by leadership vacuums. When leaders fail in their duties to do the right thing, it greatly have negative repercussions on the society.
It would then seem that effective leadership have become the solution for every problem society faces. Whether it is in politics, religion, business, education or law, the universally expressed need is for leaders who will rise to meet the challenges that seem to overwhelm many sectors of the society. But the challenge has always been, like the Biblical question; “who will go for us?” Who will liberate a nation, a people or a society from the many problems that its daily?
The challenge has not always been the lack of persons; the challenge has always been getting the right persons who can defy all the hurdles and place the society on the right pedestal. Nations across the world keeps getting disappointed in their choice of leaders. Some societies have assumed at some point that “the hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness” and therefore elected old people as their leaders. Many Nigerians thought for example, that president Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, with his vast experience and age; would solve Nigeria’s many problems. But the decision later became some sort of nightmare that they are yet to wake up from, even till today.
Societies in every ramification, have been complicit in the kind of leadership it gets. It was Mahathma Gandhi that said; “If there is an idiot in power; it is because those who elected him are well represented.” Today, many societies try to excuse themselves from the kind of leaders that they get. But the absolute truth is that the society cannot be absolved of whatever ills that is taking place within its leadership corridors. If there is an unrighteous leader in power, it is because such a leader have emerged from an unrighteous society.
When the children of Israel wanted a king by “fire by force”, God specifically told them the kind of king they wanted was going to be. Prophet Samuel took his time to explain to them how God wanted to continue to be their leader, but the people refused! “Give us a king, and let us be like every other nations around us”, they lamented! Saul was not brought from any other nation and imposed on them by God, he was simply chosen from among them, from the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. And so, King Saul was a reflection of the people of Israel at the time, stubborn, obstinate, disobedient and uncaring.
The people initially thought that God had given them the best. But they never knew that Saul was not God’s best of a leader for them, but actually, their own best had emerged from among them.
Many societies today crave for Righteous Leadership . By Righteous Leadership , I mean a leadership that emanates from God and that is based on godly tenets and ways of doing things. But they forget that such leaders don’t just fall from the sky, they come from among the people. What does that then suggest? It means that when a society is unjust, their leaders would be unjust. When a society is ungodly, it means their leaders would be ungodly as well. When a society is unclean and does not fear God, it means their leaders too will be unclean and will not have the fear of God. Why? Because the leaders are chosen from the society.
In Proverbs 14:34, the Bible made it clear that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people (NIV). This passage alone categorically reveals the link between righteousness and the exaltation of a nation. Any nation that would be exalted must definitely not joke with the tenets of righteousness. If any society craves for Righteous Leadership , then it must definitely purge itself of any sinful acts that is totally inimical to righteousness. It means such society must be a righteous society too.
Craving for a righteous leader is not by crying or praying to God. It is by a deliberate act of surrendering oneself (the people) to God and be guided by His tenets and His principles.
A people or a society cannot be lawless, unrighteous and full of all manner of sins and atrocities and still expect to be ruled by a righteous leader. The starting point is that such society must recognise their errors and atrocities and repent of them. It is at that time that they can call on God and God will answer. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) says: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Israel demanded for a king, they got Saul, a man from among them! But when God was ready for them, He gave them David, a man after His own heart. David would then go ahead to lead the children of Israel for forty years, fighting their wars and uniting the nation under him. This fete was not possible under Saul. When a society is broken before God, when a society recognizes the sovereignty of God, then God looks down from heaven and gives them leaders after His own heart.
Nigeria would continue to get the likes of our current president or his predecessors, as long as the Nigerian society remains unbroken before God. It is true that we are a religious nation, and a religious people. But religion does not commend a people to God, it is their brokenness before Him. Until Israel was broken, and saw their futility in demanding for a king from God when it was not time, God did not give them David. Many Nigerians are craving for righteous leaders, men and women who would deliver the nation from her current woes. They pray and they fast, they complain and they shout at times. But this will not happen, until every fabric of the Nigerian society becomes broken and come to really accept the sovereignty of God.
Until this is done, I am sorry the nation may continue in this cycle of ungodly leadership for a long time. I hope we all repent and begin to do the needful so that God can intervene in our nation.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Article Source: [Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
