Qualified Leaders – Day 4

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar. – Psalm 51


Leaders aren’t perfect. In fact if they look perfect, then something is probably wrong. The Old Testament is filled with examples of godly people who made sinful decisions. Moses killed a man. David committed adultery and murder. Abraham lied about his wife. But, as we see in these cases, making mistakes doesn’t disqualify us from service. David wrote today’s passage after he made a huge mistake and was confronted about it. The true test of a leader is one’s ability to own up to sin, accept the consequences, and make changes to prevent it from happening again. Leaders are held to a higher standard, but we should always leave room for mistakes and repentance. After all, isn’t that how we want our leaders to treat us?

Have you ever had a leader disappoint you? How he/she respond? How did you respond?

Ask God to show you how to forgive your leaders when they make mistakes.