Worldly leaders put their trust in themselves. They trust in the resources they control and in their human wisdom.
Some worldly leaders have benefitted society greatly. Others have been responsible for the deaths of billions of people.
How to Spot a Worldly Leader
Spotting worldly leaders is not difficult. They are everywhere. As soon as I describe them, I’m confident an image will pop into your head, and you’ll think, “oh yeah, she is,” or “of course, he is” a worldly leader.
Three characteristics distinguish worldly leaders: their personal focus, life purpose, and relationships.
Personal Focus
The focus of worldly leaders is external. They are all about creating programs and solutions for other people to follow. They don’t see a need for themselves to change at all. Their motto is, “I’m ok; you’re not.”
Life Purpose
Worldly leaders are all about personal recognition and success. They live for the sound of applause as others recognize their brilliance. Success is measured in terms of material things: houses, property, clothes, cars, and so on. They believe “the one with the most toys wins.”
Relationships
To a worldly leader, people are pawns to be used to help them achieve their desired level of success. They will build a relationship with you as long as you help them achieve their goals. Once your ability to help accomplish their goals is exhausted, the relationship ends.
So, in summary, a worldly leader is focused on changing everyone else. They live for accolades and the trapping of material success. They take advantage of people to accomplish their goals.
Worldly leaders exist in every sphere of life, from the small businessperson down the street, to the corporate executive, to the politician running our governments.
Two Biblical examples of worldly leaders are King Ahaz and King Sennacherib.
Ahaz the Worldly Leader
Ahaz was the king of Judah during the time of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah called on Ahaz to trust in the Lord, saying the Lord would save Judah from the coming Syrian invasion (Isaiah 7-8).
Sadly, Ahaz rejected Isaiah’s advice and the promise of God. Instead, Ahaz made an alliance with the king of Assyria. Ahaz trusted in his human wisdom, political maneuvering, and the Assyrian army’s power to protect Judah over the wisdom and power of God.
Sennacherib the Worldly Leader
Sennacherib was the king of Assyria during the time of King Hezekiah in Judah. Sennacherib intended to invade Judah and send envoys to Jerusalem telling them to surrender, that their God was no match for his power. Sennacherib went so far as to promise the people more prosperity under his rule than they had experienced following God.
Unlike his father, Ahaz, Hezekiah turned to God to protect the people (2 Kings 18-19). God responded to Hezekiah’s prayer by destroying the army of Sennacherib in one night.
How Is A Godly Leader Different?
The difference between a worldly leader and a Godly leader is seen in their personal focus, life purpose, and relationships.
As I said before, the worldly leader is focused on themselves, their own power, and wisdom. They measure success by what they accomplish for themselves. Their concern for others reaches only so far as to what others can do for them.
The contrast with a Godly leader could not be starker.
- The personal focus of a Godly leader is on their relationship with the Lord. They realize they cannot lead others well unless their focus is on God and His will.
- The life purpose of a Godly leader is to be an example of Christ to others. They want to be the light that shines before men and draws others to the Father (Matthew 5).
- The relationships of a Godly leader are centered around service. The Godly leader seeks to serve others and help them fulfill their God-given purpose.
In the end, the Godly leader recognizes and lives by the truth of the Psalmist who wrote:
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12)
While the worldly leader places their trust in human resources and wisdom, the Godly leader places their faith in God and Him alone.
More Articles
I have written dozens of articles on a leader’s dependence on God. You can find them by typing “Dependence on God” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are four of the most recent ones.
- #399: What Was the Most Important Question Jesus Asked?
- #384: Don’t Listen to Your Critics. Listen to God Instead!
- #377: Are You Filled with Hope, Joy, and Peace?
- #371: Weak Leaders Create One Problem After Another
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you worked with leaders who placed their trust in their own wisdom rather than in God? What was their impact on the organization?
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Category: Personal Development | Dependence on God
The number of Godly leaders is in decline, and worldly leaders proliferating. What kind of secular ethics and relativistic morality would guide a post- Christian world? Kind of scary.
It is scary indeed John! My real concern is for the next generation. Your son and my daughter’s generation will face real challenges if we do not turn this ship around!
This is a great article, Ron. Empire Building vs Kingdom Building. You nailed my experience exactly. I was under a pastor for 8 years that was a worldly leader. If he had a use for you, you were his best friend. As soon as he couldn’t use you anymore, he’d drop you like a hot potato. I didn’t realize this was going on until after the church folded, and stuff was revealed. I got a lot of church-hurt from that experience, but I learned valuable, though painful, lessons from it. I’m in a healthy church now. What a difference! You don’t realize how sick your environment is until you experience a healthy one.
So sorry to hear about your experience with this pastor, Dave! Sad to say, such experiences are all too common in our churches. I think it hurts us more when it happens in our churches because we have higher expectations for the people who serve.