[stephenkhoo]

THE GRAVITY OF THE SIN OF A LEADER

SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2Sm 24:2. 9-17; Ps 31:1-2, 5-7; Mk 6:1-6

Many aspire to be leaders. But not many understand the responsibilities and the magnitude of a leader’s burden. Most people think of leadership in terms of power, glory, honour, status and even wealth. Many fail to realize that leaders are not only responsible to themselves but to the community, the organization or the nation that they lead. Leaders are ultimately accountable to God and to their people.

The scripture readings today impress on us the grave responsibility of leaders. Every decision that a leader makes has far reaching consequences beyond himself to his community. Making the wrong decision could destroy not just himself or his family but the whole nation, as in the case of David. This is true for all forms of leadership, whether it be political, corporate or religious leadership; or simply as parents and teachers. Their success is the community’s success and their failure is the community’s failure. Their honor is that of the community’s honor; so too their shame is the community’s shame.

Because our decisions and actions have serious implications for everyone under our charge, leaders must not take decisions or even the conduct of their personal life lightly. His mistakes and sins will affect the rest as well. When a father of a family commits a crime, he brings shame to the whole family and even to the clan. His children will suffer the shame and ridicule of the public when he commits an offence. So it need not be professional decisions that we make as leaders that are exposed to the world; even our personal life is on exhibit. Failure in personal life will impinge on our credibility as leaders. If we cannot manage our own life and our family, how can we manage the household of God or that of the nation? “He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Tim 3:4f)

This was the lesson King David learnt, albeit at great cost to the lives of his people. He did not think through his decision. He regretted, but it was too late. In his impulsivenss, he ordered a census of the people so that he could determine the strength of his army and military might. Instead of relying on the power of God, he relied on himself and the strength of his soldiers. It was an affront to the Lord who, in the bible, was supposedly the Lord of Hosts, the Military commander of Israel who fought the battles for Israel. As a result, the Lord was annoyed and angry with David and the peoples for lacking faith and trust in Him. David was sorry for that rash decision of his. Indeed, as leaders, how often do we do things without thinking through the consequences and implications for our people? We make decisions lightly without prayerful consideration and proper discernment of the spirits. We are not in touch with our motives.

How do we avoid such pitfalls so that we do not cause the people whom we lead and serve to suffer the consequences of our actions? We must be aware that the greatest sin of a leader is always the temptation to pride. Most leaders think that they know everything. As they are used to having people at their beck and call, they become arrogant, demanding, impatient and presumptuous. Just because everyone defers to them and few contradict them, they begin to believe that they are omnipotent and omniscient, knowing everything and how everything must be done. Ironically, leaders have difficulty submitting to higher authority, but they expect all those under their charge to submit to their authority! The pride of a leader is always the cause of his or her fall from grace.

When his right hand man, Joab, advised David against conducting the census, he refused to listen. It would have been enough for David to trust in God, but he was too proud and blind to his pride. And so those under a leader normally oblige, as Joab did against his will.

Indeed, when King David ordered the census, it was done out of pride. He wanted to feel great about himself because of what he had done for Israel. It is true that with King David, there was peace and prosperity after 400 years of fighting and war. He was able to unite Judah and Israel into one nation; and conquered the surrounding foreign nations, or at least subjugate them.

So too we read in the gospel that the townsfolk of Jesus’ village did not welcome Him because of pride. The gospel said that “most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him.” This pride was manifested in prejudice. It was too difficult for them to believe that someone who was amongst them and whom they knew as a carpenter could have such eloquence and power. It was too humiliating for them to admit that Jesus was better than them.

When we allow pride and prejudice to colour our judgments, then we will have to suffer the consequences of our sins. What we sow is what we reap. So too in the case of David! Even in allowing the fruits of his sinful pride to take place, God was merciful enough to give him three options. “So Gad went to David and told him. ‘Are three years of famine to come on you in your country,’ he said, ‘or will you flee for three months before your pursuing enemy, or would you rather have three days’ pestilence in your country? Now think, and decide how I am to answer him who sends me.’”

Yet, when we consider the sin of King David, we see there is also God’s saving grace, even in his sinfulness. A leader does not have to be always perfect. God does not demand that a leader be impeccable all the times. But like King David, we must be quick and humble enough to admit our mistakes and make amends immediately. So in his moment of folly, David called for the census. But immediately upon realizing what he had done, he repented.

David was sorry for his sins that caused the people to suffer on his behalf. His sorrow for his sins is reflected in today’s responsorial psalm. David continued to rely on the mercy of God even in his sin and in his suffering. He said to Gad, “This is a hard choice. But let us rather fall into the power of the Lord, since his mercy is great, and not into the power of men.’ So, David chose pestilence.” As leaders, we need not be perfect at all times. But we must be humble like King David, acknowledge our failures and mistakes and learn from them, ask for forgiveness from God and our people, and then move on.

Indeed, the greatness of King David was because he was truly a man after the heart of God, the Good Shepherd. He knew his weaknesses and sinfulness, but he trusted in the Lord’s mercy and confessed his sins whenever he was confronted or came to realization. He did not blame anyone for his woes, whether it was his adultery with Bathsheba or the calling of the census. He accused himself without any excuses. “Forgive, Lord, the guilt of my sin.” He also accepted the punishment because of his sin. He was a true leader who was willing to assume full responsibility for his decisions and not blame his subordinates. He chose to suffer for the rest of the nation and take the guilt upon himself and his family. He put the safety and interests of his people before his own and even his loved ones. Such was the kind of leadership that David displayed.

We too are called to imitate King David when we carry our responsibilities as leaders. We must always be conscious that as leaders, we are public figures and no longer private citizens. Everything a leader does, whether in his public or private capacity, is under scrutiny by the public. Our enemies are waiting for us to make a mistake so that they can discredit us and put us and the community or organization we lead to shame. As such, leaders must be watchful always not just of their public life but personal life so that we do not cause scandal and hurt our community. This is what the scripture readings today remind us; that pride and the lack of faith will deprive our community of the healing grace of God.

Let the life St Paul remind us as well. “We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see – we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (1 Cor 6:3-10)