February 27, 2024

Ezra 10.1 (NIV)

While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites – men, women and children – gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.

Good leaders know how to balance transparency with being an example. Good leaders feel secure enough to be vulnerable.*

If you are going to make a spectacle of yourself in the expression of your anguish, it might be gratifying if the spectators are moved to join you in your weeping. As expressed by another writer: “Ezra’s grief over Israel’s spiritual compromise was similar to that of many prophets. But the people’s response to Ezra was unprecedented.”*

When I see someone else crying, I usually get a little teary along with them. But these people, who had probably gathered more out of curiosity than genuine concern, were moved by more than mere sympathy. In the words of another writer: “[W]e see Ezra demonstrate the number one management principle in the world: People do what people see.”* Ezra the leader modeled the proper behavior and attitude for the circumstances.

Clichés exist because there is truth in them. “Actions speak louder than words” is especially true for those who follow Christ. The world watches to see if we are consistent and authentic. Any good public speaker can deliver a powerful-sounding sermon but a Spirit-filled life is a powerful sermon.

Listeners filter every message through the messenger who delivers it. You cannot separate the leader from the cause he promotes.*

*Quote sources available upon request.