Floodgates of Heaven Devotions: LEADERSHIP: Live without honor, Die without honor!

Today’s Reading: 2 Chron. 21-22, John 14

Today’s Reflection: 2 Chronicles 21:3b-4a …but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword…

We see here the causes and effects of both the misappropriation and the abuse of power. First, to the misappropriation; King Jehoram was given the kingdom simply because he was the firstborn. Although that was the traditional way to do things, it was not the wisest choice, for obvious reasons.

The point I wish to make here before moving on is simply this; leadership should be entrusted to the most qualified individual, regardless of their social standing, birth order, family lineage, etc.

Too many times people get the position out of traditional expectations, and not out of honest, hard-earned, tried and proven credentials and capabilities. The results can be devastating when one is in power in position only, and not in personal or professional strength to function properly in that position.

Now, let’s move on to the abuses of power. We see several character flaws in this king unqualified and unfit to rule. First, we see his pride. To him, it was more important to stay in power at any cost, than it was to use that power for the benefit of his citizens.

This leads to his second flaw we see; selfishness. To him, it was all about his power and his control. He could not think about anyone else’s concerns but his own.

We know this, because once pride and selfishness took over, his third major character flaw shown through; namely, hatred. How else could you explain his murdering all of his own brethren? It must have come from pure hatred for their existence, as he only saw them as a potential threat to his throne, and not as the assets they could have become, had he had love in his heart for his own.

And finally, we see his fourth major character flaw; fear. He was captivated by it. It was so bad, that it caused him all of the blind spots that led to his lack of discretion, and ultimately his destruction.

So, we learn that each of the following causes of his abuse of power yielded each their own respective effects: Prided yielded a great fall, fear yielded failure, hatred yielded murder, and selfishness yielded dishonor.

Lesson? If you abuse your powers to demand respect, ultimately you will die a dishonorable death.

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Floodgates of Heaven
Volume 2
Entry 155 of 365

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