As much can go wrong in our lives related to our peers, children, illness, and finances; sometimes its the leaders in our lives who devastate us. For some people, the suffering and pain they endure comes at the hands of parents, teachers, pastors/priests, bosses, civic leaders, or politicians. Instead of protecting those under their authority, these leaders take advantage of their situation so as to gain personally without concern for the damage they inflict. Most are living out of wounded lives, yet many are simply selfish and destructive.
Such was the condition in Israel about which the prophet Micah spoke. The leaders, the kings, the prophets, the priests, and the wealthy failed to fulfill their responsibility before God — to defend the poor and the helpless in society. Instead these leaders lived for personal gain despite the harm they caused others. They were proud and self-centered and took advantage of the weak. They were hypocritical liars who used religion as a foil for their actions. God was furious and he denounced them…”Listen you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil,” (Micah 3:1-2). In a graphic picture, God likened the leaders’ behavior to cannibalism as they devoured poor, defenseless people. “You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones. You eat my people’s flesh, cut away their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot. Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to listen? After all the evil you have done, he won’t even look at you!” (Micah 3:2-4). Not only were the civic leaders corrupt, but also the religious leaders failed to denounce these despicable actions. God was livid with them also. “This is what the LORD says to you false prophets: “You are leading my people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on anyone who refuses to pay you… your day will come to an end! … And you will admit that your messages were not from God,” (Micah 3:5-7).
But God gives us hope. He promised that one day a true and good leader would come. A King would arrive who would bring peace and order to all who submit to him. “He will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored all around the world. And he will be the source of our peace.” (Micah 5:4-5). This King will come for the broken and needy and he will bring them healing because this King is God himself. “In that coming day,” says the LORD, “I will gather together my people who are lame, who have been exiles, filled with grief. They are weak and far from home, but I will make them strong again… Then I the LORD, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever,” (Micah 4:6-7).
Perhaps you have suffered innocently at the hands of those in authority over you. Make no mistake; one day God will make things right. Micah assures us that God will punish those who have harmed and wronged us. As such, we can leave the situation in God’s hands and instead spend our time and energy dealing with our own sins and problems. The good news is that the good leader, the wonderful King who is God himself, has come in the person of Jesus Christ. He has come for the broken and needy to restore them and bring them life. He holds the crushed in Spirit close at heart. As we seek his forgiveness for our own shortcomings and learn to live according to his ways, he assures us of his peace and blessing. Trust and seek him to honor his promise.
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