Leaders or Manipulators?

2 Samuel 11:1 (ESV)
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

David chose to pull rank, to stay home. It was normal for the king to go to war to participate in the battle, but for some reason, David, at least at this moment, was willing to let others fight his wars.

There were probably several justifications for his behavior. He was the king. He was entitled. He had put in his time. He was more valuable, more important than the normal citizen, and so forth. 

What is more troubling is the idea that he was willing to demand his people to do something he was no longer willing to do.

Ministry leaders today struggle with the same issues. They often expect others to volunteer their time while they volunteer little or none. (It would be unpaid "overtime" for them.) Leaders expect others to sacrifice while they are the recipients of the sacrificial gifts. 

Ministry leaders should lead by example. When they don't, they are not leaders; they are manipulators. 

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