Upside Down Leadership
Isaiah 3:12
"As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."
One of the greatest quotes that Dr. Lee Roberson would often say is, "Everything rises and falls on leadership." Dr. Roberson knew leadership principles very well. He built the great Highland Park Baptist Church which in its heyday was the largest independent Baptist Church in the world. He understood that leadership must take responsibility and lead if they want their organization to succeed.
In the verse above, we find that one of the reasons Israel fell was that their roles of leadership were upside down. Everything needs leadership, but having the right roles of leadership is as important as the leader leading. You will notice that the roles of leadership were reversed in that the children and women were leading instead of the men. You will see that the result of upside down leadership was that the people erred from the truth and the old paths were destroyed.
I find that we seem to have upside down leadership in our present day society. God intended for men to be the leaders in the home, church and society. When you look at the home, God said that the husband was to lead, then the wife was to follow the husband, and the children were to be obedient to both dad and mom. Likewise, men were to lead in the church. Throughout the Scriptures you find that women were not to preach or lead, it was the men who were to lead. I know this is not popular in our society, and I know this will probably get some who read this upset with me, but it is very clear in the Scriptures that men are to lead in the church. Likewise, if the husband is to lead in the home, then that would mean that the men are to lead in society. Anytime you reverse these roles in any place, you will have error, confusion and compromise.
Men, it's time you step up to your obligation and lead. One of the reasons the women have to lead is because men have neglected their obligation, and somebody had to step up and lead in the home and society. If the husband won't lead in the home, then somebody has to take the lead and make decisions. Stop letting society shame you into not leading in your home. God's Word is always right, and God commands the husband to be the leader in the home. Likewise, men need to step up in the church. There are many churches where the ladies have to take leadership roles because the men sit in the pews and do nothing. Don't get upset with women leading if you are not doing your part of leadership.
Furthermore, ladies need to submit to the leadership role of men. This does not mean that a lady is a second-class person, it simply means that God chose the man to be the decision-maker, and you need to follow the man's leadership decisions. Follow his decisions with your spirit as well. You may follow him physically, but you also need to follow him with your spirit. There is nothing worse than watching a woman give an attitude when her husband tries to lead. You will destroy your home if you don't follow him with your spirit as well.
Finally, stop allowing the children to lead. Our society has become one that looks to the children for leadership when the adults are to be the leaders. Parents need to stop letting their children lead in the home and start leading themselves. Pastors need to stop letting their children influence their direction and start leading their children themselves. Adults in society need to take the leadership and stop letting the children dictate what direction their nation should go.
Anytime you turn the roles of leadership upside down you will have problems. The reason compromise is prevalent in our day is because of upside down leadership. I challenge every person to stay in their role of leadership so that the old paths are preserved.