When the leadership is spiritually sick, their followers will inevitably be led astray and their spiritual health compromised.
Jesus taught and warned the disciples about this very topic. Not only did He not want them following sick and blinded leaders, but He didn’t want them to become one! His wisdom and leadership were different. Following Jesus closely will always make you “different” from those who aren’t!
After teaching his closest followers about the beatitudes, prayer, and loving one’s enemies, Jesus clearly warned against following blind leaders.
Luke 6:39 (NKJV) “And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?”
The answer is “OF COURSE”! The blind headed to a ditch will take their followers with them.
Do you want to fall into a ditch? Follow a lousy leader. Make excuses for him. Dismiss his obvious sins. Laugh at his ungodly jokes. Explain away his bad theology. Agree with his logical fallacies and mishandling of the Word of God. The ditch he’s about to fall into will be yours soon enough.
Matthew 7:17–18 (NKJV) “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”
The approval and almost blind loyalty given to bad leaders have always baffled me. It shouldn’t. But it does. If following them wasn’t a real temptation, Jesus wouldn’t have taught us to avoid them.
Imagine this: you’re walking with a leader who can’t see. They’re completely unaware of their surroundings, blinded by their own pride, arrogance, and ego. They’re trying to lead but stumbling in the dark, unable to see what’s in front of them, behind, or even around them. They’re leading as if it’s still the good old days when God’s hand was clearly upon them, but now, they’re walking in compromising circles headed for a cliff.
1 Samuel 18:12 (NKJV) “Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.”
If you choose to follow so-called leaders like this, you do so at your own peril. You are becoming just like them. With every approving laugh, with every willful ignorance, day by day, you are headed to the same ditch they have already fallen into
Don’t think this can’t happen to you. It can. I remember a season in my own leadership when I was not leading in a way that was honoring God. He intervened, and for that, I am grateful. With humility and repentance, good spiritual leadership can be restored.
There is a better way of spiritual leadership: to learn and follow Jesus above any man, no matter their status, testimony, or man-made title.
Luke 6:40 (NKJV) “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”
Sit at his feet. Bask in His glory. Learn from Him. Obey His Word. In so doing, you are becoming just like Your teacher, avoiding the pitfalls and ditches others may have chosen along the way.
Spiritually blind leaders infect their followers. Don’t be one.
