Proverbs 25:4-5

Remove the dross from the silver,
and material for the silversmith will emerge;
remove the wicked from before the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.

There is a dangerous trend that has emerged in leadership in America. It’s one where the leader serves in isolation while the followers judge from the outside waiting to catch the leader in a mistake. This is true in many organizations of all different shapes and sizes. From large companies to small churches. People judge the leader from the outside, just waiting to catch them in a mistake. As soon as they make one, they go “Red Ross” on the leader and try to bring them down.

This is so bad in so many ways. First, leaders should be supported by their followers. Leaders should feel like their followers have their backs and that they are there to catch them when they fall. Leaders should be able to have faith and trust in their followers. Leaders should be able to be honest with followers without being chastised and removed.

Instead followers should do whatever they can to support their leaders. They should remove wicked things from before them, surround them in support and prayer. They should do things that will protect their leader and not be looking for ways to bring them down.

Second, leaders should never seem themselves as opposed to their followers. So many times, it seems that leaders feel like their greatest opposition are the people they are leading. It’s not the other team, the other business, the enemy or anyone on the outside. It’s the people on the inside who are the biggest problem and the biggest opposition.

What if.

What if you as a follower sought to do everything you can to support your leader? What if you saw yourself as being on the same team with the same goal and the same mission? What if you looked for opportunities to back your leader up? What if you tried to protect your leader? What if you tried to protect the integrity of your leader? What if you did whatever you could to remove the things that could cause them to fall from being in front of them instead of trying to set traps for them to fall into?

You know what would happen? I do. Success. When everyone is on the same team, going in the same direction and fighting for the same mission, you have success.

This isn’t just the responsibility of the king. It’s the responsibility of the follower too.