Leadership that knows God
Read in your Bible: Jeremiah 22–23.
Jeremiah addresses kings whose building projects and unjust gains contrast with the example of defending the poor and needy. Knowing God is connected with doing justice. A promise of a righteous Branch then stands against the failure of destructive shepherds.
A leader's spiritual vocabulary does not compensate for exploitation. The passage measures public responsibility by its effects on real people, especially those with little leverage. Christians find the hope of righteous rule in Christ while still holding present leaders accountable to fair conduct.
Examine a decision involving wages, access or another person's workload. Let the weaker person's situation matter as much as the project. If you praise a leader, include integrity and justice in your assessment rather than only visible achievement.
Related reading and source notes.
Read the Bible passage first. These notes identify related Ellen G. White chapters; a related reading is not a claim that she wrote this interpretation. Any direct quotations are marked separately. The explanations and applications are The Earl Project’s own.
1Prophets and Kings · Chapter 36—The Last King of JudahPK, chapter 36
White's chapter on Judah's last king is related reading on failed leadership and the responsibilities of rulers in Jeremiah's time.
Read alongside: Jeremiah 22–23
Read the original chapter on EGW Writings ↗A question to sit with
Who pays an unseen price for an achievement I admire?
Check one payment or workload arrangement and correct an unfair burden where you can.
Let us pray
Righteous Shepherd, teach me to recognise leadership that serves. Correct unfairness within my influence and keep me from admiring impressive work while ignoring the people who bear its hidden cost. Amen.
Your quiet reflection
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An original interpretation from The Earl Project, written from an Adventist understanding of Scripture. It is not an official church publication. Read alongside the beliefs that inform these reflections. Scripture quoted from the King James Version. Ellen G. White sources are cited separately from The Earl Project’s original interpretation.