Jeremiah 38:5 “He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.” (NIV)

Jeremiah 38:10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” (NIV)

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Making up your mind and keeping it made is one of the hardest tasks of leadership. Without core values formed through a close walk with God, leaders default to arrogance or wishy-washy weakness. 

Exhibit A: King (?) Zedekiah 

“Sure, kill him. Make it slow and painful. Drop him in a cistern without water but plenty of mud to sink into. Without food or water, he will be dead before the rest of us are at the hands of the Babylonians.”

“Please, rescue him before he dies.”

Who does this sound like in today’s news? 

Have you ever played the role of Zedekiah?

How do you prevent yourself from becoming Zedekiah? 

1. Know God’s heart and mind.
2. Follow his directions.
3. Do the hard right thing no matter the consequences.
4. Trust God to have the final word.

A high school senior of my acquaintance took difficult action when a friend of his showed evidence of abuse. Things did not immediately improve. Hard things happened. The gut punch radiates consequences. Someone’s life may well be saved.

Why do we seek to know God more day by day? 
So that we know what to do and know what to say.

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I will seek the heart and mind of God so that I will know how to employ my voice, my hands, and my feet in service to those who are silenced by abuse. 

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Our Father, draw us ever closer to yourself so that we may know your heart and mind. Use us in whatever manner you see fit to bring rescue to those in need. Amen.