To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

2 Samuel 15:1-12 NIV

Absalom was an incredible young man… handsome, intelligent, talented and very, very charismatic.  People were drawn to him.  People adored him.  They responded to his charm… his manipulation… his charisma.  But with all of his many good points, Absalom was lacking in one very essential quality – integrity.  Hiding behind those glorious entrances, … those brilliant speeches… those seemingly sincere embraces… was a heart filled with greed for power.  His evil deceptiveness covered up the insincerity of his embraces.  What the people saw as a deep love for them was nothing more than a deep love for himself.

In choosing our leaders, whether in politics or at work or in our churches, we must look closely at who they are beneath the surface.  A person’s ability to speak inspiring words to a crowd is not an indication of that person’s character.  A person’s ability to lead great numbers of people isn’t an automatic green light to that person’s character or integrity or wisdom.  Look at Adolph Hitler.  Look at David Koresh.  Look at Jim Jones.  Look at Osama bin Laden.  Look at Kim Jong-il.  Look at Warren Jeffs.

Take a close look at the people you are following.  Look beyond their charm, their good looks, their inspiring speeches, their warm handshakes.  Examine what they say to see how closely it resembles the Word of God.  Look closely at their family lives.  What kind of marriages do they have?  What kind of children have they produced?  Look at their personal history.  How many cover-ups do you find?  How many lies?  How much deception?  If you want leaders you can trust… if you want leaders you can depend upon… instead of charm, good looks, and charisma, choose your leaders based on how they stack up in integrity, in honesty, in wisdom and in Godliness.