Lead from the front — That’s what leaders are supposed to do!

Preface: This is part of my 10 part series, where I deal with one principle per story. The entire series is based on my book titled, “10 Pragmatic Leadership Principles from the Bible”.

It is unquestionably true that a great leader leads from the front. A team follows its leader, and that’s why the decisions a leader takes define the course of the entire team. A team without a leader who leads from the front is like a headless body. It does not function well that way. It can also be compared to a vehicle without a steering wheel. Nothing to steer, so it goes hither and thither without a purpose.

The Bible is filled with stories of leaders and how they either failed or succeeded as a result of their decisions. One of the most outstanding leaders mentioned in the Bible is King David. He is the epitome of success and an illustration of how a person can grow up to be successful when holding God’s hand and following the path He laid ahead of us.

Growing up in a big family and having a meager occupation of herding sheep did not wear out David from excelling in what he did. The Bible says he protected his sheep from the claws of the lion and the bears. Though petite in appearance, he dared to fight these mighty animals and protected his flock. David knew he needed to be strong and courageous to be a successful shepherd and excelled in what it takes to do that.

1 Samuel 17:36 — Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.”

God chose him to lead Israel, and he went on to become the king of Israel from his humble beginnings. His path to success was not entirely rosy either since he had to combat envy, bureaucracy, passions, and a great deal of enemies before he got there. After all this, it appeared that David had finally reached the pinnacle of success after establishing a kingdom with people prospering and living without the fear of enemies. When he reached that point, he embarked on his next pursuit, which was to show kindness to those that helped him along the way. Beginning chapter 9, David inquires about Saul’s leftover household to show them compassion and mercy. It almost seemed he was hitting all the right spots.

2 Samuel 8:15 — David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.

Ravi Zacharias once commented that it is not handling failure but managing success that tends to be most challenging for humans. His assertion cannot be more accurate. There are so many of us who could handle failure swiftly. Its success, fame, and wealth that most of us struggle with. They make us think differently, behave inhumanely, and ultimately compromise on who we are. There are so many examples of famous individuals who absolutely lost it when they became famous, eventually losing their most precious lives for the sake of fame and money. David was so close but was rescued by the loving grace of God.

“It is not handling failure but managing success that tends to be most challenging for humans”

2 Samuel 11 contains some critical information that led to David’s downturn. I will try and dissect each verse and delve deeper to understand the context and the outcomes.

1. “In the spring, at the time, when kings go off to war.” — 2 Samuel 11:1

Who does not like spring! There are so many reasons to enjoy spring. It’s the season right after the frigid, wild winter. The sun had rarely been in sight, keeping us wanting for light and warmth. The plants have withered and died. Then spring appears, and everything starts to get some color and flavor. The cold has eased, the flowers start blooming, the streams are rich with water. It’s perhaps the most exciting time of the year if you adore nature’s beauty. For kings, spring is an ideal time for war for specific reasons.

1. The weather is neither cold nor hot
2. The soldiers do not get exhausted because of climatic conditions
3. The soldiers need not carry extra gear to keep warm instead carry armory required for war
4. Water is abundant

And the list goes on.

It could have been a tradition for kings to wait for spring, to take on a conquest since it is the most suitable time of the year to go about fighting.

2. “David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. But David remained in Jerusalem.” — 2 Samuel 11:1

When it was time for war, David the king, sent Joab, the king’s commander in chief, and the entire army off to the battlefield. But he, for some reason, decided to stay back in Jerusalem. A leader is supposed to lead, inspire and mentor a team. What happened to the fearless leader who shepherded his flock against the mighty lion and tiger? Where is the courageous young boy who single-handedly went against a giant who even trained soldiers were scared to confront?

David chose to send his flock of sheep among the wolves and stay back in the luxury of the palace.

“David triumphed when faced with threat, failure and jealousy, but at the feet of luxury and fame, he started slacking”

3. “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace” — 2 Samuel 11:2

When his men were at the battlefield engaging in a fearsome battle with the Ammonites, David was not only relaxing in the luxurious confinement of his palace but also wasted his time sleeping as though he had nothing to care for. He slept the whole day, and the Bible records that he got up from his bed, ‘one evening’.

I cannot comprehend the fact that a leader was sleeping on his comfortable bed during the day while his team was at work struggling to meet deadlines? As a leader, I always make it a point to be with the team when they are working late to accomplish a mission. There were instances where I stayed back to buy them pizzas, make coffee, or just be around for moral support even though I did not help them in the actual work.

This is a mark of a great leader — to be around the team when they are toiling to go the extra mile. In my early days, I had a boss who did not know a thing about technology or coding, but when we were chasing a deadline, he decided to stay with us late in the night, getting us dinner and making coffee. I learned a valuable lesson that day that I never failed to exercise later in my career. David, on the other hand, appeared to be oblivious about his team’s anguish and was slacking carelessly at his luxurious abode.

4. “From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful” — 2 Samuel 11:2–3

After waking up from his slumber, David should have cared to get an update from his men about the happenings at the war field or work on the strategies to proceed with. That is what leaders do. When the team is working towards a goal, the leader thinks ahead of time and strategizes on all the possible outcomes. They constantly seek updates about the progress to adjust their contingency plan accordingly. A good leader is always on the lookout to evaluate what could go wrong and be prepared to avert such eventualities.

Proverbs 27:12 — The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

On the other hand, David slept the entire day and decided to take a walk on the roof in the evening. It was as though he did not have a purpose or plan but was merely loitering to kill time. Always remember,

“If you are NOT doing what you are supposed to be doing, you will invariably end up with a bathing Bathsheba”

This is so true in David’s life. While he was dawdling, all he could see in front of his eyes was a beautiful woman bathing. There is no clear explanation as to why Bathsheba was bathing openly, but in the olden days, the bathrooms did not have a roof. If we take a peek into David’s past, he had been through so many situations where women were involved, and not once did he covet them.

I believe this was because he always had a purpose in life. He was chasing something more worthy that beauty and charm did not capture his attention. When he lost his dedication to pursuing honor, the first thing he kept his eye on was a beautiful woman. Strange, isn’t it?

When I counsel young people, I generally ask what their purpose in life is. What are the immediate and long-term goals that they are chasing after? Most often than not, those lacking a clear purpose are the ones who get bogged down with unnecessary distractions and eventually end up in counseling sessions. It is not that those with a purpose do not need counseling, but they require counseling at a different level like how to improve productivity, how to deal with negative criticism, etc. On the other hand, those without a purpose typically suffer addiction, relationship issues, etc. Do you notice the startling difference in people with and without a clear goal?

“Leaders, of all, should have a solid goal defined and a path identified for it. The team follows the leader to reach the goal. The leader defines it, and the team does it”

“Who is Bathsheba? — Bathsheba is a distraction that is placed to deflect you from your specified, sacred goal.”

They are so alluring and captivating that you would most often compromise on your commitments and values to acquire them. In today’s world, they are synonymous with TV, Social media, the internet, drugs, alcoholism, infidelity, etc. During a book release, President Bill Clinton remarked that he was able to become a president only because he was born in the 40s and not the 60s. If it were the 60s, the era of the home TVs, he would’ve ended up watching TV instead of reading books. He goes on to say that he would have been filled with information but no knowledge and eventually sidetracked instead of heading to the highest office in his country. How true! Imagine how many great leaders we have lost in the past 60 years because of Bathshebas.

“Leaders are torchbearers of the mission and goals. They cannot slack, especially when the team is firefighting”

5. “David sent someone to find out about her” — 2 Samuel 11:3

David sent someone to inquire about her and learned she was Uriah’s wife. That did not dither David’s hunger. He was determined to have her despite the fact she was another man’s wife. This is a typical next step after the first sight of a bathing Bathsheba. You put your eyes on her, and the next stage is you want her no matter what, even if it means going against conscience, compromising values, or your integrity.

A colleague once told me that they could not get over their addiction to TV and waiting for something to go wrong on their TV set — at least then they can stop watching it for hours together every day. Bathshebas are very alluring. They make you want them more and more. You never get tired of them, no matter how much time you spend. Take for example, the smartphones we all possess. Have we ever gotten bored or tired of using it? Conversely, take the instance of spending time with our children. How easy it is for us to get exhausted soon. Research says we stress more using a smartphone than physical activity, yet hours go by like a breeze. That’s how powerful Bathshebas are.

David, the man of God, the man of integrity, the fearless leader who talked and walked with God — is now in an illicit relationship with another man’s wife, that too, when he was supposed to be at the battlefield fighting together with his army. Instead of sending someone to inquire about the status of the war, he sent someone to inquire about a woman he found attractive.

6. “The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” — 2 Samuel 11:5

Let’s try and create a calendar of events for this. Verse 4 concludes by saying Bathsheba was purifying herself from her monthly period when David laid eyes on her. Anatomically speaking, a woman has the highest likelihood of getting pregnant during the first 15 days after her period. If she misses her next period, which is another 15 days, she can validate her pregnancy. That is an easy 30 days. Can you imagine it has been a month since David’s team was out there firefighting, getting gravely injured, and losing lives? David has not visited the battlefield but left it at the hands of his commander while he was slacking and devoting his attention to something else.

If David had been a leader leading from the front, he would not have been into the whole Bathsheba situation at all.

7. ‘King’ David to ‘Evil plotter’ David — 2 Samuel 11:6–14

What transpired after the news of her pregnancy is nothing to be surprised at all. Again, it is a typical next step. You set eyes on Bathsheba, you crave her no matter what, you are stuck in deep trouble — the next downward stage is to do whatever it takes to cover up the damage, even if that means murder. That’s how powerful bathing Bathshebas are. They can turn a God-loving King into a rotten, evil murderer. David, who sang Psalms in praise of God, is now plotting a scheme to entrap an innocent and loyal team member to conceal his wickedness.

Unfortunately for David, Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was a man of integrity. He, in my opinion, is the most underrated personality in the whole of the Bible. Uriah’s integrity stands tall that he should be heralded as the epitome of integrity for his actions. He decided to sleep outside the house to respect the laws of battle. His consciousness did not allow him to seek pleasure from his wife when his men were fighting for their lives. What a man, unlike his leader who quite did not hold up to a speck of what Uriah’s ideals were. Please note, Bathsheba was a very beautiful woman, and Uriah had been on the battlefield for more than a month without the company of his wife. On top of it, David had intoxicated him with wine, so he might subconsciously go to his wife in bed, but Uriah still did not go to his house; instead, he slept on a mat with the other servants.

Uriah excelled in integrity. David should have been inspired by Uriah’s persona and repented. On the contrary, he became further infuriated and even more determined to entrap him. The evil inside him reached its fullest potential when he finally came up with a plot to kill him. David wrote a letter to Joab, his commander, to deliberately place Uriah in the fiercest part of the battle to get him killed. He handed over the letter to Uriah to pass it over to Joab, and he innocently carried his own death warrant.

Again, Uriah’s integrity shines so brightly that he did not attempt to open the letter that the king had entrusted to him. Imagine if he read it, he could’ve rescued himself. Instead, he held on to his integrity and proceeded to carry the letter to Joab. I could only imagine Joab’s reaction to reading the letter with Uriah standing in front of him. Uriah stood thinking the King might have communicated an important strategy to win the enemy, ignorant of the fact that the king had deviously impregnated his wife and now plotting to get him killed. What an utter failure of a man like David.

8. Evil king, cheating subordinates — 2 Samuel 11:18–25

A leader is an exemplar and should be adored by the team. This is probably the single most significant sign that a leader is successful.

“The team adores a great leader”

While it is common to display an artificial glorification to gain attention for benefits, as you see in politicians and cults, a real leader in a successful team is adored for the quality they embellish. I have had so many leaders that I admire and adore. They have taught me how to handle certain situations, deal with leadership challenges, etc. I am ever so grateful for such examples in my life. While great leaders with impeccable traits inspire team members to embrace greatness, the opposite happens to the unbecoming leaders. If a leader is blatantly corrupt or lacks moral reputation in the team, the subordinates usually take advantage of their lack of integrity to slack or cover up mistakes.

For instance, I had a boss who hardly showed up at work. There was no one to manage the team, and whenever the boss was missing, the team members had a short day at work. Later, when the entire team was questioned about missing a significant deadline, the boss couldn’t hold themselves or the team responsible since they were worried they would expose their irregularity at the workplace. The team wasn’t concerned about the consequences either since they knew the leader themselves wasn’t an example.

A very similar thing happened in David’s life. Only three people knew of David’s infidelity — David himself, Bathsheba, and Joab. Joab was now in control of David since he was aware of the unthinkable heinous act that David had committed. Joab felt empowered to be equally evil without the fear of repercussions from his leader. His leader had no moral ground to implicate him.

2 Samuel 11:17–21 — 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. 18 Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19 He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20 the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21 Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth[b]? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”

Joab took a wrong strategic decision that resulted in the loss of more men. Luckily for him, Uriah was among the men who died as a result of that blunder. Joab selfishly exploited that to cover up his mistake. When he sent an account of the war to David, he prepared the messengers to dodge David’s tough questions by mentioning Uriah’s death. Joab’s plan worked perfectly. When the messengers met him, David was happy that Uriah had died rather than being concerned about the many soldiers who died because of Joab’s wrong call.

2 Samuel 11: 25 — David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”

Leaders, watch out. Your lack of integrity will negatively impact your team’s integrity. You will not be in a position to correct them as you yourself do not exemplify those traits, which is a rather sad situation to be in as a leader.

“Leaders, watch out. Your lack of integrity will negatively impact your team’s integrity”

All of the above could have been avoided if David had resolved to lead the team against the enemy. Every circumstance was conducive for him to lead his team — springtime, fierce enemy, past successes, etc. Yet, he forewent all those and decided to slack, which resulted in a series of fateful events.

David’s team won the war for him, but was it a victory to be savored? Uriah’s parents lost a great son, Bathsheba lost a loving husband, David himself lost a valuable team member, yet it was proclaimed a victory for David. He celebrated at the cost of ruining his integrity. I love the way the chapter ends.

1 Samuel 11:27 — “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord”

We should never be in a place where the Lord is displeased. There are situations when sickness, lack of motivation, and a host of other unavoidable events that keep us from reaching our goals. But certain things displease the Lord. David hit the wrong nerve, and it did not go well from there.

Leaders, the underlying principle is to “lead from the front. Support your team in times of trouble” or simply put, “Do what you are supposed to do as a leader”.

Excerpt from: 10 Pragmatic Leadership Principles from the Bible available on Amazon