In the final section of the importance of spiritual leadership posts, I want to focus on what the quality of leaders is bred when there is no strong core of spiritual leaders. If one was to look at the "reign" of Eli as high priest, one can easily see what will happen if there is not a core of grounded leaders.
Most of this discussion will come from 1 Samuel chapters one through three. These passages show just what kind of leader Eli was and what this leadership produced. The first thing that I notice is how a lack of good leaders produced an ignorant leader like Eli. The first time we see this is in the very first chapter when Hannah was praying to God for a son. The text reads that while Hannah was praying silently, Eli saw her moving her lips but because he heard nothing he thought she was drunk. On first glance this might be something you would look over, except that we need to remember that Eli was a priest. However, he was not just any priest, but the High Priest. This was the "cream of the crop" when it came to priests. They were like the direct spokesperson for God. They were the only ones who could enter into the Holy of Holies to make the sacrifices. They were supposed to be the most astute when it came to praying. Yet, he mistook prayer for being drunk! This is not the only example. There are other examples in chapter two that I will come back to, and in chapter three.
In chapter three we see the calling of Samuel as a priest/prophet. In this passage we can see another ignorant move from Eli. The story goes that while Samuel was sleeping he heard the voice of God call his name. Getting up, he ran to see Eli (who was his master since he was in "training"). Eli dismissed the claim and told Samuel that he was hearing things and to go back to bed. Samuel is laying in bed and a second time he hears the voice of God call his name. Once again, Samuel runs to Eli and once again, Eli dismisses him. This same thing happens again, only this time Eli FINALLY realizes that it was God calling out to Eli. Why did it take three times for Eli or Samuel to finally realize what was going on? I can understand one time, since I would dare say almost all of us have heard something go "bump in the night." However two more times! A verse in the text makes it clear of why something like this could have happened. In verse seven the text reads, Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been revealed to him." Also, a thing to remember is that the place where Samuel was sleeping was in the temple. This was the place where Eli was. They lived in the "church". How could Samuel have grown up so much and not known what the word of the Lord was? The only explanation I can attempt to offer is that Eli had failed his job. As the High Priest his duty was to teach the word to his students. Eli's laziness had made him ignorant of his duties and ignorant of what God's call was like. He had forgotten the very thing that was supposed to have been guiding him! Oh how ignorant and lazy must one be to forget the very job you were called to do!?
A final instance using Eli as an example of what poor leadership develops is found in the second chapter. In this chapter we get a small dose of Eli's family. We as a reader get to see his sons. His sons are also priests, yet we see how they valued their job. The text mentions how they were corrupt doing all sorts of perverse things and even stealing. Now I know that one can easily go into a rant of Eli has a bad parent. However, that is not the route I am wanting to go. When Eli goes to rebuke his sons we read that Eli was very old when he heard this. I take this to mean that these things must have been going on for awhile. How could this have been going on for so long? Why had Eli waited so long before doing something? Once again I believe this is because of his ignorance. He chose to not acknowledge it. And what did his ignorance produce? A breed of corrupt leaders.
Without discipline, without rebuke, leaders that spring up without a foundation will lead to some form of a corrupt leader. How can we expect anyone to be an honest and moral leader who is wise when he has never seen what one was to begin with? How can we expect him to be a strong leader when he has never had anyone to show him what to do? And how can he be disciplined if there is not a leader who first, knows the truth, knows right and wrong, and who is wise, and if second, there is not a leader around to care enough to rebuke and discipline? (Which I believe a good leader must not only rebuke, but also be wise enough to know how and when.)
These are just a few things that lay in store for a society when leaders forget what being a leader is. Or, like in the case of Eli, just become lazy and apathetic. But, I also believe that a society also has a role in shaping a leader. A society should know when their leaders are becoming corrupt, or lazy, or apathetic and not be afraid to call their leader out. This should be a sign of a healthy society.
What do you think societies around the world would look like if they began to practice this? If how would culture change if good, strong, spiritual leaders arose and began to lead? Would we look a little like Josiah in 2 Kings? Would this reform last?
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