Israel wanted a king.  We read in 1 Samuel 8 where they demanded one, and God gave them Saul.  If you’re thinking of taking on a new role or position, here are four realities that may help:

Your role may be new but God’s activity is not.

New leaders come into a work of God that is already in progress.

As much as the people wanted a political ruler, God knew the presence of a king would shift their dependence away from God and onto that king.  That’s exactly what happened.  While Saul was timid at first, he got used to the power and the reverence his position granted to him.

Position can be intoxicating for new leaders, and humility can be quickly replaced by pride. But spiritual leaders demonstrate and encourage others toward a desperate dependence on God and a zealous passion to join His activity.

Your role may be exciting but the needs are big.

Samuel’s kids were a mess, which left a leadership vacuum in Israel.  The people didn’t think right about God and therefore did not do right in God’s sight.  And all that created problems.

As a new leader, you enter a ministry or organization that has problems.  And those problems have created disappointment and maybe even despair among the people.   So they need leadership, but they really need your servant leadership.  They need you to listen, to seek to understand, and then to lead them with courage and good judgment.

Saul was appointed to help, but ultimately he created more problems than he inherited.  That’s always the result when leaders forget they are appointed to solve problems and serve people.

Your role may be spiritual but you will fight carnality.

Israel had big trouble because the people were big trouble.  The problems they experienced were not created in thin air.  They were the result of bad decisions and carnal patterns of behavior.

As a new leader, you have been called to lead other sinners…people who may be caught in sin or who have been influenced by the sin of others.  Your role is a spiritual one.  This is Kingdom work.  Darkness hates the light, which means leadership is always spiritual leadership.

The church leader Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 4:12).

King Saul thought his job was political or perhaps military in nature.  He had some success there, but the forces of darkness defeated him and jeopardized an entire people.

New leaders who operate in the flesh or according to natural resources will miss God’s activity, experience personal defeat, and lead the people into failure.

Your role may be celebrated but not everyone will be happy.

When Saul was inaugurated as king, many celebrated.  But “certain worthless men” silently despised him (1 Samuel 10:27).  Many people will applaud you as the new leader, but opposition will exist, even in silence.

Saul grew to love the accolades of men, but his grandson Solomon later wrote, “The fear of man is a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” (Proverbs 29:25).

Leaders learn to deeply love people they serve, but the goal is not to produce happy people but to build a holy people.  And that requires a tenacious trust in a Holy God.

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