Every so often, factors collide that lead to the formation of a storm. In Christian communities (though, obviously, not exclusively) two such factors are when an insecure leader finds themselves in authority over a more talented junior. The storm factors rise when this happens in a realm where both have similar competencies and ambitions.
Their insecurity also causes them to attach their self worth with the adulation of others.
“The women sang to one another as they celebrated, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’ And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?’ And Saul eyed David from that day on” (1 Samuel 18:7-9).
Fear
When insecurity is given sway, the leader is afflicted by a fear of losing their prestige, popularity and influence. Every report they hear about the dashing young talent’s great performance grates their soul. They are unable to separate praise for another from criticism of themselves. For them, everything becomes a zero sum game. Their prominence necessarily depends on the subjugation of everyone else. Others can be talented, just not more than them. Others can be praised, just not as much as them.
Insecure leaders are unable to separate praise for another from criticism of themselves.
Their insecurity also causes them to attach their self worth with the adulation of others. The new talent that detracts from that adulation is immediately recognised as a threat to the worth and personhood of the leader. A word of praise uttered innocently for the talent is heard by the leader and they resent the fact that it wasn’t them who was recognised. They want that praise to be spoken about them but it wasn’t. Soon, a low grade resentment takes over. Envy rises.
Bile
Much energy is, thus, spent pretending to be happy, maintaining false smiles, and giving false compliments. All the while, the heart fizzles with an effervescent bile. A bitter root grows. The insecure leader finds themselves gripped by a temptation to undermine the talent under them.
The insecure leader finds themselves gripped by a temptation to undermine the talent under them.
In the course of time, these tortured inner feelings issue forth in passive aggressive acts of sabotage. The bitter roots begin to bud. An unkind word here, an unfair criticism there. Mostly behind the back of the now loathed young talent. The leader takes every chance to wield their authority to marginalise and constrain the talent in subtle ways. Opportunities are redirected and doors are quietly closed.
A Drive to Destroy
Eventually, the insecure leader’s fear drives them to seek to actively destroy the young talent.
Eventually, the insecure leader’s fear drives them to seek to actively destroy the young talent. The buds now become fruits. Direct confrontation or confrontation through proxy breaks forth. False accusations, trumped up charges, special investigations all become tools to seek the removal of the ‘cancer’ that is the rising talent. In King Saul’s case, he went for the more direct approach: a spear aimed directly at David’s heart.
Gloomy Ends
This danger also sadly continues to manifest itself in Christian communities today.
The case of King Saul leads down a path of steady decline that ends with gloom and misery. There were multiple casualties that mounted up in the wake of Saul’s murderous insecurity. This danger also sadly continues to manifest itself in Christian communities today. Many wounds are inflicted on innocent people because an insecure leader lashed out and acted in some ungracious or sinister manner. A culture of fear and insincerity envelops such communities and stifles any true unity. All pathways for rejuvenating feedback are cut off and the insecure leader is left to rely on their own finite and often flawed perspectives. Such a situation cannot but end badly. But it does not have to be that way.
How, then, might the saint who is an insecure leader go about dealing with the situation that God in his wise providence puts them in? Here are four words for the insecure leader.
1. Fear God
The insecure leader must pray for a heightened sense of the fear of God. They must remember that God is the one who has given them their authority and position. They once were not in that position but God, in his sovereign wisdom and goodness, set them over others.
Insecure leaders must remember that God gave them their authority and position.
Their use of authority is meant to mirror God to those under them (see 2 Samuel 23:3-4). Painstaking care ought to be taken to ensure that they are not wielding God’s authority in a manner that brings God’s name into disrepute.
2. Remember the Final Day
It will also serve them well to remember the final day when an accounting will have to be given before God for how they used the power that he gave them (Matthew 25:19; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
3. Apply the Gospel
The leader struggling with insecurity should also strive to cultivate a deep sense of where their worth as an individual lies. They belong to God twice: firstly in creation and secondly in redemption. Their worth derives from the fact that, first, they are made in God’s image; then, secondly, they have been recreated in the image of his Son, Jesus. Even if they did not have their position of influence, they would still be God’s child, beloved by him forever in Christ. They must, therefore, be wary of seeking to draw their ultimate worth from their position.
Leaders must be wary of seeking to draw ultimate worth from their position.
Rather, they should dig deep into the deepest and most durable eternal realities about them as christians. In other words, they should regularly massage the gospel into their souls. They must then proceed to use this knowledge to battle their zero sum game view of things. Other people rising does not mean that they are declining.
4. Opt in to a Deeper Joy
The insecure leader should then aim for the glory of facilitating the advancement of others. Let them see the deeper joy of giving away authority and of encouraging younger talent to mature into greater heights of excellence. They must realise that their stewardship under God includes the duty of nurturing, exposing and encouraging the younger talent under them. They must remember that with God, greatness is measured using different metrics. The one who desires to be great must be the servant of all. Therefore, they should adjust their posture towards the young talent and seek to serve them as much as possible.
The one who desires to be great must be the servant of all.
In doing so, they will find that they enter into new realms of delight previously unknown. They will find that their insecurities shrink the world but serving the talent under them expands the world and multiplies their impact.
