Wise leaders keep a position of humility as they steward God’s resources that have been entrusted to them. Read Hosea 14:1-9.

The leaders of Israel lacked humility because they had forgotten the true source of their prosperity. God assigns leaders to be in charge but wise leaders remember that God remains in control. Hosea’s recommendation for the people of Israel was that they “return to the Lord. Say to him: ‘Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in You the fatherless find compassion.’” The people of Israel needed to admit that the One True God was the source of their prosperity and protection not the Assyrian army or the hand-crafted gods. Hosea wanted the people to know they were stewards of their prosperity not the creator of it.

There will be times when every leader’s relationships fail but the wise Christian leader follows God’s model of forgiveness and restoration. Read Hosea 14:1-3.

For 13 chapters in the book of Hosea, God condemned Israel’s people and leaders for their rebellion against Him. In Chapter 14, God gives the people of Israel hope for forgiveness and restoration. The one condition, they must return to Him.

God-honoring leadership requires humility and a clear understanding that it is God who promotes one and demotes another. Read Hosea 11:1-4 and 12:1-9.

Through the prophet Hosea, God reminded the people in ancient Israel that He was responsible for their prosperity. He reminded them that He is the one who raises one up and tears another down. The foolishness of the people of Israel is clearly stated in 11:3 when it says, “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.” The height of human arrogance is to assume they are responsible for their own success when all human history shows God protected, cared for, and prospered them.

Leaders with a Biblical worldview seek to obey God. Read Hosea 10:12-15.

Israel’s failed leaders were called to account for their lack of obedience to God. These were leaders that, according to verse 12, had a choice to “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes and showers righteousness on you.” The sad commentary starts in verse 13 which begins with the words, “But you…” These leaders made a choice that was wicked, deceptive and arrogant and they totally failed to acknowledge that God had any part in their life.

Wise leaders willingly develop accountability systems that keep the trust of their team. Read Hosea 10:3-4.

God, through Hosea, declared that the prosperity in Israel had created a situation in Israel in which their leaders became self reliant and ignored the value system He established. The leaders felt they were accountable to no one and they drifted into serious separation from God and the people. As Israel’s leadership became ever more self reliant they made false promises that had lawsuits springing up “like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.” The falsehood of the leaders so totally eroded the people’s confidence in the leadership that they concluded “We have no king…”