Are you a drop-out, cop-out, hold-out or all-out? (112-2)

President Harry Truman made a famous statement that indicated the buck stopped at his desk. He was ultimately responsible for the decisions of both the military and civilian leaders that surrounded his presidency. Responsibility is the ability to meet obligations; the act of being accountable; a duty of trust. A leader can share responsibility and a wise leader will delegate responsibility and authority for areas assigned to other leaders but the ultimate responsibility for results cannot be given away. Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-25.

Jehoshaphat had assumed the responsibilities of king of Judah. He had sent leaders to teach the people from the Book of the Law and had appointed some trusted leaders to administer the law and settle disputes. Just as Jehoshaphat was finishing his reforms to strengthen Judah’s internal governing structure, Judah was threatened by an army made up of a three nation alliance. Reports of this huge army’s activities and advance frightened Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat really only had two choices:

• He could surrender and allow a pagan nation to rule over God’s people.
• He could fight against a superior force and potentially see many of his people massacred while still facing a high probability of defeat.

If you are a leader, at some point you will face situations that appear impossible. You will feel trapped and hopeless. You will not have the resources under your control to solve the situation. When you are in this situation you will have several choices to make:

• You can give up and fail to take responsibility. This choice will leave a bad taste in your mouth the rest of your leadership life and has the potential of becoming a pattern for future failure.
• You can make excuses for why you were not ultimately responsible for the situation. This puts salve on the emotional wound but won’t stand the test of time in your own heart as you reflect on the truths of the situation.
• You can remain undecided in what action to take for too long forfeiting responsibility for the results. This argument may appear more palatable for the short term but will leave any leader with life-long regrets that they did not take some action that gave them a chance at victory.
• You can take responsibility for the situation, seek counsel from many godly advisors, make a plan and take action. Whether the result is victory or failure you will know for the rest of your leadership life you gave your dead level best to meet your responsibility.

Wise Christian leaders will start where Jehoshaphat started; humbling themselves before God seeking His wisdom, plan, and intervention in the situation. Effective Christian leaders will fight their personal fear, seek the wisdom, guidance and intervention of God and seek to complete the tasks God has given them.

What is your normal pattern concerning taking responsibility when the going gets tough in your leadership assignment? Are you a drop-out, cop-out, hold-out or all-out? Once you know your normal pattern, search God’s Word and seek God’s wisdom to determine if God would have you change your normal pattern to better oversee the responsibility He has entrusted to you.