What behaviors in Proverbs 30:21 should we be cautious of in leadership? Setting the Scene “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is filled with food, an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.” (Proverbs 30:21-23) Behavior 1: Elevation Without Preparation (A Servant Who Becomes King) • Rapid promotion without proven character • Temptation to rule harshly to prove oneself • Loss of humility once power is gained Other Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:6—“He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.” Behavior 2: Reckless Self-Indulgence (A Fool Filled with Food) • Consuming resources for pleasure rather than stewardship • Short-sighted decisions driven by appetite • Mocking wisdom and rejecting counsel Other Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:16—“Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.” Behavior 3: Bitterness Turned to Authority (An Unloved Woman When She Gets a Husband) • Using new status to settle old scores • Leading from hurt rather than healing • Allowing past rejection to fuel manipulative control Other Scripture: Hebrews 12:15—“See to it…that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Behavior 4: Ambition That Overthrows (A Maidservant Who Displaces Her Mistress) • Grasping for position through intrigue or disloyalty • Undermining current leadership to gain a role • Cultivating division to climb the ladder Other Scripture: James 3:16—“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.” Putting It All Together for God-Honoring Leadership • Test character before entrusting authority (Proverbs 17:3). • Keep appetites under the Spirit’s control (Galatians 5:23). • Lead out of love, not past wounds (1 Peter 5:2). • Seek promotion God’s way, not through subversion (Psalm 75:6-7). |
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