Self-absorbed leaders cannot build multi-generational ministries or businesses. In fact, they repel potential next-generation leaders.
The ancient prophet Isaiah tells a sad story about a self-absorbed one-generation-wonder named Hezekiah.
In many ways, Hezekiah was a good king. But when it came to next-generation leadership, he failed royally.
Here’s what happened:
1. DISASTER. The prophet boldly warns the king that A DAY IS COMING when everything he owns will be stolen by his enemy, the evil Babylonians (Isaiah 39:6). Hezekiah sees no problem since this refers to a future disaster.
2. DESCENDANTS. The prophet also warns that the next generation, Hezekiah’s descendants, will be kidnapped and dragged to Babylon (verse 7). Again, no worries since this affects future generations, not Hezekiah himself.
3. DECEPTION. You don’t need a prophetic interpreter to tell you that this is bad news, yet the king responds: “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good, ” For he thought, “There will be PEACE AND SECURITY IN MY LIFETIME” (verse 8).
Self-absorbed leaders only concern themselves with their own lifetime, and that is why they will never build multi-generational ministries. They sell out future generations for momentary glory rather than sacrificing now so that future generations can succeed.
(WARNING: short political rant. . . And that is exactly how American political leaders think as they accumulate astronomical debt, selling out future generations for temporal peace and security and entitlements and votes. . .)
