The king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
Proverbs 29:4 (ESV)
By justice a king builds up the land,
but he who exacts gifts tears it down.
Everyone in leadership has a different vision of success. Some see success as harmony and will even avoid any conflict to get it. Some see success as productivity and will run people into the ground to get it. In this Proverb we read Solomon's definition of success: Success is a stable culture based upon justice. The word "stable" in this proverb carries an added meaning of "taking a stand." So, it is not just a culture that can "stand" the test of time or the storms of life, it is a culture that takes “a stand” for what is right and what is just. A leader who takes bribes "overthrows" a stable culture. Taking bribes is another way of saying, "rather than doing something in a just way we do it for money, or power, or influence, or something they deem valuable,” instead. A good leader will not worry about harmony or productivity. They will worry about treating people with truth and in justice. If that brings conflict, that is okay. If that produces productivity, that is okay. If it hinders productivity and produces harmony, that is okay. Ture Biblical leadership seeks stability based upon justice. A true leader will want everyone in the land to accumulate wealth and to have access to what he/she has access to. This proverb talks to us about what can happen when the leader gets selfish and wants to take a bribe (personal compensation) to simply satisfy self. Stability comes when we build up the culture for everyone, not just the leader.
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