Deal courageously
Jehoshaphat charges his officials
King Jehoshaphat had reformed Judah's system of justice, appointing judges and Levites and priests to handle the cases of the people. His closing charge to them was not about a battle or a crisis. It was about the daily, grinding work of judging fairly, administering honestly, doing the job. Deal courageously, he told them, and may the LORD be with the good.
We reserve the word courage for dramatic moments, but most of leadership is not dramatic. It is the steady, often thankless work of doing the right thing in ordinary duties — judging a dull dispute fairly, keeping a tedious commitment, handling routine responsibility with integrity when no one is watching and nothing is at stake but faithfulness itself. Jehoshaphat knew this quiet work needs courage too, the courage of consistency. And he attached a promise to it: the LORD is with the good. Ordinary faithfulness is not unseen by heaven.
“Be strong, all you people of the land, and work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Armies.”
— Haggai, to the rebuilders — Haggai 2:4 (WEB)
Courage is not only for crises. The ordinary work of leadership — duty, justice, daily faithfulness — requires steady courage too, and God is with those who do good.
“Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good.”
Jehoshaphat called for courage in the routine work of justice, not just in battle. A leader formed here brings resolve to the unglamorous, often thankless duties where only faithfulness is at stake. The inner work is the courage of consistency.
Bring courage to the ordinary work — the dull dispute, the tedious commitment, the routine handled with integrity when no one is watching. Honor steady faithfulness, not just dramatic stands. Remind your team that God is with those who simply do good.
Leaders reserve courage for crises and let integrity slacken in the daily grind. The blind spot is assuming the unglamorous work makes no moral demand because nothing dramatic is at stake.
Identify one ordinary duty where your integrity has gone slack. This week, deal courageously with it, as if heaven were watching the small thing.
We save the word courage for dramatic moments, but most leadership is the steady, thankless work of doing right in ordinary duties. Jehoshaphat charged his judges to deal courageously in the daily grind.
Where does your ordinary, unglamorous work quietly require courage you've been failing to bring to it?