Accountability 

God on Monday
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In the letter David wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die’ (2 Samuel 11.15). 

Reflection

With these words of David, a great ‘man after God’s heart’ becomes a villain. It is a tragic story of lust, greed, and the abuse of power. As King, David was the most powerful man in Israel. As a warrior, he would have understood the importance of support strategies, and the strength in numbers, when waging war.

Yet he orders for that support to be withdrawn from Uriah when the battle becomes most intense. David thereby effectively murders Uriah, so that he can lay claim to Uriah’s wife Bathsheba.

Uriah, in contrast, models leadership with integrity. Despite having been ordered by the King to spend a night in the comfort of his home with his wife, he chooses solidarity with his team, which was camped out in the cold. He thereby demonstrates commitment, loyalty and humility.

All of us can probably think of times when we put our needs before those of our team. And in broader society, including in churches, models of poor leadership abound. Faith does not insulate us from abusing power, especially when we try to cover up our mistakes in an effort to protect our reputation.

We all need systems and processes in place to hold us accountable for our decisions and actions. Operating solely on the basis of trust is not enough. If a person with so strong a faith and fear of God as David could succumb to such cunning and callous and coercive behaviour, we must take heed. 

Response

How can we use our positions of power this week as a force for good? 
Do you have accountability partners who can help keep you on the straight and narrow?
Consider whether you are using any of the power you hold to cause harm to others.

Prayer

Loving and merciful father, thank you for the leadership to which you have called us. We confess to times we have relied on our own strength and failed to do right. Help us to be good servants of the people you have placed in our care. Give us strength to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

This Week's Author

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God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the next Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up here to receive each God on Monday instalment.

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