“In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.”
– Proverbs 16:15 (ESV)

Legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said, “The strength of the group is the strength of the leader.” By the very nature of being called “Coach”, we find ourselves in a position of leadership. Leaders must be able to make difficult decisions and be prepared to sacrifice popularity for results. Doing the right thing is not always the easy thing. I once heard a coaching peer say, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Effective leaders learn to hang in there, knowing that in time, the kitchen will cool down. As leaders, it is critical that we stay calm, make good decisions and set the proper example. 

King Solomon was a very wise man. He was very aware of the pitfalls of leadership and did not want to see a new generation of leaders repeat mistakes of the past. Proverbs 16:15 teaches us that leaders willing to do the right thing, regardless of the heat, will experience great joy when all is said and done. The resulting happiness on our face will be a comfort to those we lead. They will see us as competent leaders who can be trusted because we are centered in Christ Jesus. Learning to follow the example of Jesus is the key to our becoming a leader worthy of following.

Heavenly Father, give me the strength to be a worthy leader today. Give me the wisdom to see what must be done and the courage to do it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.