What Does It Mean to be Qualifed?

Today while doing my study on the book of Ezekiel in the Bible, I had time to reflect on a few things. First of all I read my chapters, then take time to go back through commentaries that really explain the origins of the passages to gain a deeper insight. Sometimes you have those moments, where more than just a light bulb comes on. It feels like you've been hit with a bolt of lightning instead. This was one such case.

I wrote down a simple statement that I loved because I thought it really opened up a lot of depth in the words it implied.

Here's what I wrote: "A qualified leader is useless if the people refuse to be led."

I love it because of all the insight you can gain just from the simplicity of the truth found in it. In fact, I've had a lot of feedback where I have posted it.

For me it was in the context of what I was reading about not only in Ezekiel, but Jeremiah and Isaiah as well. All these men were called by God to be prophets to administer warnings to the people of Israel who were falling away from their Mosaic covenant with Him. They were supposed to adhere to the laws God gave them, but instead were forming alliances for their security with Babylon and Egypt for protection from their enemies.

Instead of trusting God, they were basically saying, "We got it this time God! We're good." So they pushed him aside and instead creating peace treaties with Egypt and Babylon. In order for those treaties to be valid, they had to worship some of the idols that Babylon and Egypt worshiped.

No problem right?

Well initially it seemed that way, because nothing bad was happening to them for doing it. No judgment for God. So they thought God might just be O.K. with what they were doing. In fact, they began to take additional steps and live full out idolatrous lives. Still nothing.

Even their religious leaders were basically telling people it's fine. Don't worry about it. Which compounded the problem.

So God involved these prophets as a warning that if they didn't stop what they were doing, God would have no other choice but to unleash judgment. I mean, when your child willfully disobeys, we may casually say something, but with each willful intention, we have to take drastic measure to bring them back to obedience.

That is just what was happening with God.

He even asked Ezekiel in Chapter 22: 30-31, "I looked for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord."

You would think, "Why couldn't God have used Ezekiel? After all if God was using him to preach his warnings to the people of Israel, isn't he the one?" Yes and No. Yes he was qualified, but the problem here takes us back to my quote. "A qualified leader is useless if the people refuse to be led."

Ezekiel was more than qualified, the problem was the hearts of the people. They didn't want someone to tell them playtime was over. They wanted to keep on doing what they were without any judgment coming.

Here's where I found my "Aha!" moment.

Look at the state of current country.

Once a blessed nation, founded on Godly principles despite what current government leaders have tried to rewrite in our history timelines.

We wonder why no great leader will rise up and fix things and restore this great nation again. Why would we, as a nation, want a godly person to be president or in any role in leadership for that matter?

We, as a majority, don't, because then playtime would be over. We'd have to conform the the laws of God again. We already removed the prayers from the schools, the 10 commandments from the government offices, and are trying to rewrite the laws of God to allow everything to acceptable and tolerant now. We won't elect a godly leader in any form because the people don't want to be led.

Is it any wonder why these poor leaders stay in office? Because they are the ones granting playtime to the sinners. They are giving them everything they want, just like the religious leaders in Jerusalem and Judah were. This is why things are so chaotic and we shake our heads and wonder why we can't get it right. Because people want to keep on doing what they want because no consequences have happened to them up to this point, so it must be O.K.

Makes you really take a hard look at our country today and wonder just how much of history from Israel and America are going to overlap one another. Make no mistake, God is being merciful and patient, but He won't wait forever.

If we refuse to change from our idolatrous habits, judgment will be coming. Look at what happened with 9/11. Our hedge of protection is being removed slowly, and we'd better wake up and realize just because nothing is happening doesn't mean God is lenient, He is simply hoping we turn this around.

If we want a godly leader to lead us, we need to want to be led. Until they happens, it doesn't matter how qualified a leader is, we have to be willing to follow.

So does that mean we throw our hands up in apathy as some would suggest?

The answer is NO! We can act as go-betweens in the troubles around us, "standing in the gap" to bridge chasms of indifference and oppression. We can do what we can to stem the tide of evil and tell others of the opportunity to know God through Christ. And we can intercede for others in prayer. 
I'd love to know your thoughts on this, so please share in the comments below.