Good Leaders Have Righteous Hearts - Proverbs 16

 Proverbs 16:12-15 (ESV)

It is an abomination to kings to do evil,

for the throne is established by righteousness.

Righteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves him who speaks what is right.

A king's wrath is a messenger of death,

and a wise man will appease it.

In the light of a king's face there is life,

and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

Leadership is often the subject of Solomon’s many proverbs.   He, as a king, knew a little about this.  But, we have to remember, when he became king he was quite young, perhaps in his teens.   God came to him to offer anything he wanted.   The normal teem with that opportunity would probably take great riches.  Solomon choose wisdom in order to be able to lead:

1 Kings 3:7-9 (ESV)

And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

In the above passages we see that wisdom given to Solomon written out in the proverbs.   A wise king will:

1. Establish their leadership in righteousness and hate evil.   Very few leadership books start out with this admonition.   Solomon is giving us something that other writers never did or will.   If you want to be a good leader, seek first and foremost God’s righteousness. 

2.  Speak what is right.  Out of the heart flow the issues of life.  (Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.). Since we are leading in righteousness, we ought to speak righteousness.   The tongue reveals the heart.   The reason we have two-faced leaders today is because that is what is in their hearts.  

3. Good leaders know how to appease the wrath of other leaders.   The ability to work with someone who is angry and wrathful is a mark of a great leader.   

4. Good leaders bring great favor onto others.   A good leader, with a single look, can show great favor on others.   A good leader is aware of their non-verbal behavior and how it can reveal the heart.   So, the face is the window to the heart.  A righteous leader will have a great heart of grace that shows up on their face.   Their demeanor will be like a fresh rain in the spring to wash away the dirt of winter.  

Good leadership begins with a heart of righteousness that flows through the leaders every actions.