Responsible Leaders

This morning I am reading briefly from Ezra, as I don't have my usual amount of time to pray. I am in Ezra 9 and the following verses caught my eye:

Ezra 9:1-4 NIV

After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. [2] They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.” [3] When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. [4] Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.


What really caught my eye was how the leaders and officials led the way in the unfaithfulness - the disobedience to God's law (verse 2). I think this shows two things:

1. The leaders felt they were above the rules that God had laid out for them.
2. The people followed the leaders.

This is such a critical truth, and why we need to hold our leaders to a higher standard. I see this is also true in the ways of parenting, that where we lead, our children will follow. This is not true of everyone, as it wasn't true of everyone in this case, but the basic principle is accurate.

This is also why we need to pray for our nations leaders and our church leaders, as where they go personally, many will follow. If they think the laws don't apply to them, so will the people. If they think they are entitled to special treatment and a life-long support from the government, so will the people. If they think their sinful lifestyles don't affect others they are wrong.

Lord, help us to discern clearly Your will and Your commands and live by them, not blindly following leaders who are not following You. We pray that You will break in and convict us of our unfaithful ways and lead us back to the path of truth. We pray especially for those that are leaders, that You will speak to them and show them the right path to life and obedience. We pray that all our leaders will recognize the responsibility they have to lead. That they will pursue righteousness, faithfulness and true justice.