Leadership, Authority, And Bringing Back The Ark

This is a guest post from Chris Vonada. Chris is an aspiring author and geologist, and also enjoys reading, running, anything outdoors, travel, family, friends, music and life! He writes about his passions at I’m Just Thinkin’, you can also follow him on Twitter.

King David is one of my favorite people from the Bible. I love his story because he went through it… and through it all he persevered. David was real, and his story is crazy sordid. I’ve written about him before, you can read more of his story over here… 

Ark of the Covenant

Despite David’s many ups and downs, he displayed a heart for God like few other people ever could claim. He unequivocally had faith in and loved our Heavenly Father, and, while David was far from perfect, his story is in many ways that of a genuine person that we can learn a lot from. David lived his life from the heart… and God loved David for that. In fact, God referred to David as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22).

The story in 1 Chronicles 13 tells the tale of David’s thought process as a leader…

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people. 1 Chronicles 13:1-4

David made 3 key moves in this passage, as a leader:

– He conferred with the other key leaders, seeking their advice and approval. Through that action he gained their support and backing.

– He affirmed with the whole assembly of Israel in such a way as to allow them to buy into the plan without feeling like it was forced on them.

– He sought God’s will, making sure that whatever was done in moving forward was in line with God’s approval and perfect plan.

Why did he do all of that, when he was the man and could have just made the decision himself?

David did what he did because he was a great leader. David’s story provides one of relevant insight to our world today, a timeless key to the difference between leadership and authority… and how to involve God.

Whenever in doubt remember to pause… pray… and listen… then take the next small step forward… always moving forward. (Click to Tweet)

The greatest lessons from 1 Chronicles 13?

I believe there are two:

– Honorable and trusted leaders gain respect, and don’t misuse authority.

– Remember to seek God’s will in all that we do… and remember to follow God’s basic instructions.

The latter part of the second lesson comes later in the passage…

God was pretty specific about the ark and how it was to be handled… it was to be carried on the Levites shoulders with poles through its rings. The ark was never to be touched. So what did the Israelites do when they went to move it? Well, not what God had told them to do.

David and the Israelites neglected moving the ark in the appropriate manner. They placed it on a new cart… and during the process of moving it a man named Uzzah touched the ark to steady it as an oxen stumbled. Bad move on Uzzah’s part… touching the ark was punishable by death.

Maybe it was a tad bit extreme… but I’m sure that God got His point across… don’t mess with the ark, OK!! Perfectly loving and just at the same time, God struck down Uzzah instantly upon touching the ark, and then blessed the home of Obed-Edom, where the ark was subsequently stored.

And with that lesson came another important moral… with God’s blessing comes the responsibility to always do our best to be honest, fair and just.

QUESTION: What do you consider the fundamental differences between leadership and authority? Do you often seek God’s will and pray for his presence in making business decisions? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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