Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You…

This song by Casting Crowns is the background of our psalm today.

As leaders we are fed much instruction about ways to lead better, be stronger and more influential, set measurable goals, be disciplined and be accountable to the numbers that tell the story of a productive person.  This is the world’s theme song of success. 

People say I am a leader without trying to be.  My desire is to help ultimately.  It seems God puts me in places to lead for “such a time as this” for various reasons and seasons of life.  I’m not always sure why but I know my desire is to obey God and go where He sends.  My theme song of leadership doesn’t always match what the world says because my song of songs is built on God’s love. 

No matter what is happening, whatever situation needs a solution or strategy, the bottom line and foundation of problem solving must be God’s love and His justice.  “Justice”—just as if it never happened, is the meaning given to me years ago by a wise sage.  We must set things right with God and others in such a way just as if it never happened.  God provides His justice to those who are repentant of their sins and cleanses us with His justification—”just as if” we had never sinned in the first place.  This is complete forgiveness of all sin.  This is God’s justice.  It is up to each person to decide to receive His justice, clean the slate of our sins and move forward with Him, leaving the old life behind. 

Our first thought, when we lead must be love, God’s love in us that leads to humility, justice and mercy for others.  (See Micah 6:8)  Because God’s love is richer, deeper, unconditional, limitless, unchanging and relentless, we ask for wisdom from God by asking what He wants us to be and do for this day.  We have learned much from pandemic living as leaders.  We can make plans but God decides.  So, we look to God and find Him as promised ready to show us the right way that is just and fair in His thinking.  We protect our intimate relationship with Him first and then with others at all costs to our own interests and wants.  (See Phil 2, Jesus’ example)  This is love and justice.  This is a theme song I will sing and learn all the verses! 

Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You  (Casting Crowns-“Life Song”)

Our Psalmist writes the verses to a theme song that we all learn, sing and live.  He is talking about David, the apple of God’s eye, as His leader.  When David became king, first in Hebron and then at Jerusalem, he inherited a divided land and a discouraged people whose spiritual life was at low ebb.  David was named as God’s answer to Israel’s problems.

Everything rises and falls with leadership, but many of King Saul’s officers were fawning, flattering “toadies” who were unable to work with a man like David. God’s spirit left Saul to his own devices because Saul left God.  David is outlining what kind of integrity and characteristics he will expect from his team to lead God’s people with him.  We could accurately call this psalm “Leadership 101” because in it David spells out the essentials for successful leadership in the work of God.

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 101, The Message

^1-8 My theme song is God’s love and justice,
    and I’m singing it right to you, God.
I’m finding my way down the road of right living,
    but how long before you show up?
I’m doing the very best I can,
    and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.
I refuse to take a second look
    at corrupting people and degrading things.
I reject made-in-Canaan gods,
    stay clear of contamination.
The crooked in heart keep their distance;
    I refuse to shake hands with those who plan evil.
I put a gag on the gossip
    who bad-mouths his neighbor;
I can’t stand
    arrogance.
But I have my eye on salt-of-the-earth people—
    they’re the ones I want working with me;
Men and women on the straight and narrow—
    these are the ones I want at my side.
But no one who traffics in lies
    gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
I’ve rounded up all the wicked like cattle
    and herded them right out of the country.
I purged God’s city
    of all who make a business of evil.

TRUTH:  My theme song is God’s love and justice, and I’m singing it right to you, God.

Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

CHORUS:
Let my lifesong sing to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

Proverb 29:2,4,8,12,14,23,26,27, The Message

LEADERSHIP 102 WISDOM: 

“When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.”

“A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.”

“A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down.”

“When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.”

“Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.”

“Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honors.”

“Everyone tries to get help from the leader, but only God will give us justice.”

“Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil; the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.”

Abba Father,

I give my life to you, all that I am, all that I have.  May my theme song be delightful to your ears.  I love you with all my heart, mind and soul.  Your grace and mercy is overwhelming.  Your unconditional love is amazing me each day.  I don’t deserve what you do in and through me and for me.  And what you do for me, you do for others finding and following you, too.  Keep us all abiding in you as you abide in us.  Cleanse every part that is offensive to you and keep us moving closer and closer to You.  Give us wisdom in all that we are and do, whether it is in following or leading, let my life-song sing to You and Your glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen