Godly Christian leaders do not take vengeance or hold grudges. Read Job 42:7-16.

After nearly 40 chapters of criticism and condemnation from his three friends, Job had the opportunity to get even when God announced His displeasure with them. Job could have said “I told you so” but instead he prayed for them. Job refused to hold a grudge but rather interceded for them in prayer and sent them on their way.

Good leaders need to be secure in their self-identity and humble enough to admit when they are wrong. Read Job 40:3-5 and Job 42:1-6.

When God confronted Job with His power and majesty, Job responded with humility, did not defend himself and did not rationalize his feelings. He confessed his wrong thinking, went silent and waited for God to finish His lesson.

It is a real temptation for a leader to feel they need all the answers or their team won’t have complete trust in their leadership. The danger for a Christian leader is they can project their thoughts as if they are directly from God and unless God has spoken directly to us on the matter this is likely a misrepresentation. Read Job 38:1-7.

God has heard all of the arguments on both sides of the issue concerning how He handles good and evil. He heard how Job and his friends projected their opinion as though they represented His mind. This is a real danger every Christian leader faces. We feel a great temptation to pretend we know everything; we have an unreasonable need to project self-confidence. We can paint our motives as pure but when we take a position of self-confidence that leads people to believe we have the mind of God, we are wrong. It never takes our team long to recognize pretense.

Godly leaders strive to be just and fair but, as the ultimate leader, when God enters a situation He brings perspective and exhortation that is truth. Read Job 38:1-39:30.

Job was in a desperate situation physically and emotionally. He was discouraged from his verbal exchanges with his friends concerning the “why” of his situation. Job had gone so far as to justify himself before God and his friends by saying things such as he had made and kept a covenant before God not to look lustfully on a girl, he had never let the poor or underprivileged go with out help, and he had never rejoiced at his enemies misfortune. He was very close to stepping over a line to say God had unjustly allowed him to be in this desperate situation.

One valued quality of a leader is authenticity. Effective leaders who have the ongoing respect of their team are authentic—they will be very human and yet very godly at the same time. Read Job 31:1-40.

As you read chapter 31 and hear Job’s words of self-justification it may seem he went a little too far. Job feels all the emotions of a man who has endured great loss. He became angry, depressed, and anxious. In Chapter 31 Job declares his feelings openly. Yet at the same time Job never drifts from his strong character. His integrity remains consistent through everything. The moment it appears he will give up on God he affirms his promise to be faithful even when he doesn’t understand what is happening. Job pledges to maintain his integrity despite his circumstances. Job is able to display his humanness without violating his godliness.