Not Going Down with the Ship

Not Going Down with the Ship

Read Hosea 4:1–5:15

1. Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has brought charges against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land.
2. You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere—one murder after another.
3. That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing.
4. Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! My complaint, you priests, is with you.
5. So you will stumble in broad daylight, and your false prophets will fall with you in the night. And I will destroy Israel, your mother.
6. My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me.” Hosea 4:1-6

Steve Johnson is captain of the USS Maxum, a small but capable boat that can hold up to twelve passengers and crew. As captain, Steve has many responsibilities, but foremost is the safety of those on board. It’s his job to make sure the boat is safe to operate and that everyone on board always gets to shore safely, no matter what. The people on board are his responsibility—that’s what it means to be captain.

The leaders of Israel also have a responsibility for others. But they have been irresponsible—they’ve neglected their duty to teach and guide the people in God’s ways. When Hosea confronts them about this, they try to shift the blame to someone else. Like bad ship captains, they have sunk the ship and stolen all the lifeboats. As you read this section of Scripture, look for the lessons on leadership.

The priests had dropped their responsibility to correctly lead. Instead of instructing the nation in religion and morality, they had led the way toward idolatry and immorality. Yet they didn’t want to face the consequences. When their sins came under scrutiny, they tried to divert attention from themselves to the people. They tried to justify their own irresponsible actions by pointing to the sins of others. But the sins of others didn’t exonerate them.

All of us share a mandate to lead others—by setting an example if not by holding a position or responsibility (see 1 Timothy 4:12). The fact that some people won’t follow doesn’t excuse us from leading the way.

Take responsibility for the people who follow you. Teach them, guide them, and lead them in God’s way.