Psalm 101 - Righteous Leadership

Psalm 101 - Righteous Leadership - Aneel Aranha  

I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, LORD, I will sing praise.
I will be careful to lead a blameless life —
when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.
I hate what faithless people do;
I will have no part in it.
The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with what is evil.
Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,
I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
I will not tolerate.
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.
No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the LORD.

In this psalm, King David offers a blueprint for righteous leadership. Given his many shortcoming and sins, we might wonder about David's moral authority to offer leadership advice. However, we must realize that David, like all human beings, was not perfect, and his faults and failings do not negate the wisdom and truth contained here. 

So, what can we learn from this psalm? David speaks about six qualities of leadership that we can follow. 

One, a commitment to integrity. David begins by proclaiming his commitment to lead with integrity. As leaders, we must prioritize honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in all areas of our lives. Righteous leadership is built on the foundation of integrity. 

Two, the power of purity. A righteous leader understands the need to guard their eyes and ears from evil. David pledges not to set anything wicked before his eyes. In our digital age, we must be vigilant in what we consume, guarding our hearts from worldly influences that can tarnish our souls and, consequently, our leadership. 

Three, the courage to confront. A righteous leader does not turn a blind eye to sin and injustice but dares to confront it. David's example challenges us to deal justly with those who oppose righteousness. As leaders, we must address issues with love and truth, seeking restoration and reconciliation.

Four, the commitment to surrounding oneself with righteousness. 
David emphasizes the importance of surrounding himself with people of integrity. Righteous leaders seek companions who uplift and encourage them in their walk with God. We must be discerning in our associations, ensuring that the people we are with share our passion for godly living.

Five, the desire for God's presence. David expresses his longing for God's presence, recognizing that it is the ultimate source of guidance and wisdom. Righteous leaders prioritize seeking God in prayer and meditation on his word, drawing strength and direction from him.

Six, the legacy of righteousness. Finally, David desires that his leadership leaves a legacy for future generations. As leaders, we must consider the impact our actions will have on those who come after us. Our desire should be to inspire others to walk in God's ways.

Let us embrace these qualities of a righteous leader and aspire to be people of integrity, purity, and courage.

God bless you.