Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting on the question of whether all leaders are prone to failure, and if so, why?
This bout of introspection was brought about by the realization that I am much closer to the end of my career than the beginning. As I rewind and playback my life in my head, I wonder how I did as a leader? Did I measure up?
The short answer is that I failed. A lot. And often.
But here’s the thing, so did just about every leader portrayed in the Bible. If you don’t believe me, let’s take a quick look at just four of the most prominent characters in the Bible: Noah, Moses, David, and Solomon.
Noah’s Failure
We know Noah was a great man of God. The Bible says Noah had great reverence for God (Hebrews 11:7). Also, we know Noah had great faith in God, obeying His instruction to build the ark before the flood (Genesis 6). After the flood, the first thing Noah did was build an altar to the Lord (Genesis 8:20).
Noah was 600 years old by the time of the flood. He wasn’t a spiritually immature man; he had been following God all his life and knew what God expected of him as a leader.
Nonetheless, right after Noah built an altar to God, we read that he planted a vineyard, made wine, and got so drunk he passed out naked in his tent (Genesis 9)!
Noah didn’t accidentally plant a vineyard, make wine, and then get drunk. These are all deliberate acts proving that anyone can fall into sin, even a man following God for 600 years!
Moses’ Failure
The Bible describes Moses as a great man of faith (Hebrews 11). Moses was rescued from the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter and lived the good life for 40 years as her son. Eventually, though, God called Moses to lead the people of Israel. Despite his reluctance to lead the people, Moses followed God’s instructions confronting Pharoah and eventually led the people out of Egypt.
Moses was over 80-years old by the time he led the people out of Egypt, so he was well-grounded in his faith. He followed God’s instructions to the letter, every time, until one day when he lost it.
Only a month passed since they left Egypt, and the people were complaining about not having enough water. Moses was annoyed with the people, so he went to God asking for help. God told Moses to speak to the rock to get water for the people. Instead of speaking to the rock as instructed, Moses angrily beat the rock until water gushed out (Number 20).
Despite 80+ years of following God, his anger and frustration at the moment caused him to sin against God. Moses’ punishment for breaking faith and disobeying God was to be barred from entering the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 22).
David’s Failure
Perhaps one of the best-known leaders of the Old Testament is David. God selected David as a young man to be the future leader of the people of Israel. David is described as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).
David followed God’s instructions faithfully for many years and eventually was named king just as God had promised. Then, one fateful day, when he should have been attending to state affairs, he spotted naked Bathsheba taking a bath on her rooftop. David was in his 50’s, yet he consciously sinned against God in a deliberate act by having an affair with Bathsheba.
Compounding his sin, David then arranged to have Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle so David could marry her.
Somehow, I don’t think these actions are of a man after God’s own heart! David’s first son by Bathsheba died. His subsequent children, by various wives, committed rape, slept with David’s concubines, and even tried to take over the kingdom!
One sin led to another, and the consequences rippled throughout his family.
Solomon’s Failure
Solomon was the one son of David that God saw as a potential future leader. Solomon had everything going for him. He was king of Israel, he inherited enormous wealth from his father, David, and God granted him great wisdom.
Still, Solomon failed God first by marrying foreign women (Deuteronomy 7) then compounded the sin by having 300 wives and 700 concubines! He also failed by not keeping God’s laws and ordinances as promised (2 Chronicles 7). Solomon even gave up Israelite land to King Hiram in violation of God’s law (1 Kings 9).
Solomon’s writing in the book of Ecclesiastes recounts his life-long quest for sensual pleasures and pride in wealth, failures that led to the downfall of the kingdom his father, David, had established.
Why Are Leaders Prone to Failure?
Noah, Moses, David, and Solomon were all seasoned followers of God. They knew what God expected of them.
Yet, each failed in some aspect of their leadership. Noah sinned by getting drunk, Moses in his uncontrolled anger, David in his quest for sensual pleasure, and Solomon sinned chasing all manner of worldly pleasures rather than focusing on his relationship with God.
Each of these men’s lives and stories of failure is a stark reminder that those who have known the Lord the longest are most vulnerable to slipping spiritually. Young people in the faith are cautious. They are very aware of the temptation that lurks behind every corner. Older folks, those more spiritually mature, think they are safe from temptation. But they are not.
Why then are leaders so prone to failure? The answer to why these men, and we, are so prone to fail as leaders is simple.
Leaders who fail have forgotten their purpose, their “why.”
Why are they following God? What is their life purpose?
When we forget our life purpose, our why, we become susceptible to falling into sin. We become prone to failure.
I think the apostle Paul was acutely aware of the potential for leaders to fail, and that is why he wrote to the Corinthians, saying, “Let anyone who thinks he stands, take heed, lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Our goal as Christian leaders is not just to start the race well, we need to finish the race well, and then we will hear the Master’s commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).
More Articles
I have written several articles recently on a leader’s character. You can find them by typing “Character” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are a few of my favorites.
- #471: 7 Behavioral Do’s of Incredibly Effective Christian Leaders
- #444: Is It Important to Follow the Right Leaders?
- #443: The Folly of Wasting God’s Gift of Discernment
- #442: What We Do Matters. Who We Are Matters More!
- #440: If You Are Green with Envy, You Are Ripe for Trouble!
- #435: How Do Good Leaders Exercise Their Authority in The Service of Others?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Are you prone to failure as a leader? If so, can you reclaim your “why” and focus on your life purpose to serve God?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Personal Development | Character
I think all leaders stumble at one time or another. But the best of them learn from their mistakes and finish strong.
True. The real test of leadership is whether the leader learns from their mistakes. In the case of the examples here (and many of our leaders today), their mistakes would be avoided if they remembered their “why” and kept their focus on God.