The World’s leaders have to be strong. Intelligence helps, and it’s really nice if they have a dash of wisdom in the mix. We’ve seen what happens when people in power have one or two of these qualities, but not all.
The monarchy of France was undermined by a king who lacked firmness and decisiveness. The people rebelled, and Louis XVI lost his head.
Adolf Hitler had strength and intelligence, but wisdom wasn’t his friend. He decided he knew how to fight a war better than his generals, and his poor decisions lost Russia and eventually the world to the Third Reich at the end of World War II.
Nicholas II is generally seen as a weak ruler. As the last Tsar of Russia, he admitted his reluctance to assume the throne. Nicolas was a man emotionally constituted to let others sway him into making decisions that would eventually thrash his country into revolt and ensure the demise of the Russian monarchy.
In 2 Samuel 20:1 we meet another worthless man.
“Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite…”
Sheba was a scoundrel, albeit one that seemed to make sense to the people around him. In the final part of the verse, he appeals to his countrymen:
“…We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”
The Word goes on to say the men listened to Sheba, and it took the wisdom of a woman to right the wrong that had been done against Israel. We read of Sheba’s fate in 2 Samuel 20:20-22:
“Joab answered… ‘Sheba…has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone.’ …And the woman said to Joab, ‘Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.’ Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba…and threw it out to Joab.”
When we are led astray, sometimes that’s our solution. We must cut the head off the offending party and cast it over a wall. If money leads us astray, cut up the credit cards. If inappropriate websites are our downfall, toss the computer over the wall. If it’s alcohol, chuck the bottles of booze, and don’t buy any more.
Things that lead us astray may seem strong and powerful, but in reality, they are weak, stupid, and foolish. We need to cut off their heads, and throw them over the wall.
If something leads us astray, toss it aside and leave it on the side of the road. There are better things on the horizon for us to keep in our sight.
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Code: FGO.E.05.15.vp.esv