Warning signs for leaders

Zephaniah 3:-3-4

Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

Leadership sins. The prophet Zephaniah deals with the sins of Judah. In this particular passage, the prophet pulls back the curtain to expose the sins of leadership. It's not at all surprising to me that the pitfalls that were prominent in the 7th century B.C. continue to surface in leaders today. So wise leaders will pay attention to the iniquities of the past. First, beware of arrogance. Her princes were roaring lions. The roar of a lion announces importance. In today's culture there are many paths, social and otherwise that lead to self-promotion. When we are not saying "Hey! Look at me", we are thinking of better ways to say, "Hey! Look at me". Second, her judges were self-serving. They were like wolves that stayed up late to satisfy their own carnal appetites. Do I really need to elaborate? Third, the prophets were insolent. Insolent is not a word I use often. However, consider this definition: showing a lack of respect. Disrespect is epidemic. Finally, the priests polluted what was holy. In general, I believe this equates to a loss of what is sacred and a casual treatment of God’s holiness. Once again, today’s leaders face significant challenges when resisting the erosion of truth. Thanks to Zephaniah, we have some clear cut warning signs.