Find a penny and take a look. At the top are the words that have been engraved in U.S. currency since 1864: In God We Trust. These words appear above the head of one of our greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, who led our nation through its most difficult days. On the eve of Lincoln’s 215th birthday, it might be worth considering why Lincoln was such a great leader. Lincoln’s speeches, letters, and, most importantly, his character reveal he was a great leader because “in God” he trusted.
LESSONS FROM LINCOLN
When the crucible of the Civil War pressed the nation, it was the moral character of its leader, Abraham Lincoln, who helped preserve it. In his recent book Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America,[1] Steve Inskeep notes the following leadership and character traits of our 16th President:
Lincoln didn’t demonize his opponents. Although Lincoln was often attacked relentlessly, he didn’t belittle or demonize his opponents, but appealed to their self-interest and reason.
Lincoln didn’t scapegoat immigrants. Lincoln realized that ours was a nation of immigrants, and supported legalizing those coming to America as efficiently and expeditiously as possible. He stated, “They [immigrants] have a right to claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote the Declaration, and so they are. That is the electric cord in that Declaration that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of the men throughout the world.”[2]
Lincoln put his country ahead of his party. Lincoln appointed a number of Democrats to his Republican cabinet, and often sought advice from people with opposing views. Lincoln realized the gravity of what he was entrusted with—the preservation of a whole nation. There was no room for pettiness or polarizing politics. He sought common ground to preserve the union.
CHARACTER COUNTS
Although Lincoln was a great orator, the force of his personality was not his words, but his character. As his friend and law partner commented, it was Lincoln’s “charity, liberality, kindness, tenderness, toleration, a sublime faith, if you please, in the purposes and ends of his Maker.”[3] Political writer and Jewish Rabbi Meir Soloveichik believes Lincoln was a great leader because of his humility toward God. “What we see in the greatest American statesman is a complex balance between bold independent action and a deep faith and reliance on God.”[4]
Interestingly, humility is a critical trait of great leaders. “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). The epitome of humble leadership is God himself as he has revealed his character so beautifully in Jesus. Abraham Lincoln was a great leader because of his humble reliance upon God exhibited in how he treated people. Character is critical to great leadership.
The Bible tells us that “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Prov. 29:2). The wisdom literature of the ancient Jews (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job) teaches that a person and a nation flourish by wisdom. Where does wisdom begin? “Reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). The foolish person does not revere God or his ways, and the fruit of such arrogance is revealed in their character: “You will know them by their fruit” (Matt. 7:16). A foolish person causes chaos and ruin in the lives of those associated with him; chaos and ruin are compounded when a nation chooses a foolish person who lacks moral character.
THE FABLE OF THE TREES
The ancient Israelites learned from experience that character counts in leadership, and some of those lessons are recorded in the Old Testament book of Judges. While Judges opens with promise in leaders like Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah, the road to disaster begins in the middle of the book with Gideon. Gideon’s initial leadership was exemplary because of his humble reliance on God. But after God exalted him, power went to his head. Gideon’s primary values in leadership became power and vengeance. His son, Abimelech, perfected the politics of revenge. In seeking to consolidate his power, Abimelech even slaughtered his own brothers.
But one of those brothers, Jotham, escaped. Courageously, Jotham delivers an indicting fable to the people of Israel (see Judges 9:7-20). The fable is about a group of trees trying to find one to be king over them. Although they could have chosen the olive tree, fig tree, or the vine, they instead asked the thorn bush to be king. The thorn bush in turn threatens them, saying “If in good faith you are anointing me king, then take refuge in my shade. But if you don’t choose me, then let fire come out and devour the trees of Lebanon” (Judges 9:15).
Jotham’s fable is “directed primarily at those who are foolish enough to anoint a worthless man to be their king.”[5] The fable is a warning: “Jotham’s essential point is that the bramble is a dangerous plant for human beings to associate with because it is unpredictable; it can provide shelter of sorts, but it can also destroy.”[6] The people ignored Jotham’s warning because they lusted for power as much as Abimelech did. From this point on in the book of Judges, the people experience the disastrous results of aligning themselves with a power-hungry and vengeful leader. They trusted in chariots instead of in the Lord their God. Their internal weakness in turn made them easy prey for foreign oppression. Can we learn from these ancient Israelites?
WHAT DO WE DO?
The United States is facing an election this year like none other in the past, where a majority of the electorate do not want either of the leading candidates. Author and political commentator Joseph Epstein recently remarked, “Low and seedy are the corruptions of which Messrs. Trump and Biden have been accused: molesting women, entering into dubious financial dealings with foreign corporations and governments, cavalierly mishandling important documents, and more.”[7] So why have the parties not chosen someone else besides these two? “The probable choices of Messrs. Trump and Biden reveal that the chief interest of both parties is to win and move on to power. Neither seems the least interested in character.”[8]
But character counts. There may still be time for other candidates to emerge. We can hope and continue to pray. We can think critically. We can call our leaders to account for their behavior and not compromise our faith by accepting their behavior. We can humble ourselves before a God whose Word and ways will not be flouted.
If you would like to think more about this, consider the chapter titled “Baal-Politika” in my book, The Judge and the Left-Footed Leaders: Judges and Ruth for Postmodern Times, available on Amazon.
[1] Steve Inskeep, Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America (New York: Penguin Press, 2023).
[2] Roy P. Basler, ed. The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1953), 2:499-500.
[3] William Herndon, quoted in Allen C. Guelzo, Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans 1999), 463.
[4] Interview of Meir Soloveichik by Barton Swaim, “Lessons in Leadership from the Hebrew Bible,” in The Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2023.
[5] Daniel L. Block, Judges, Ruth: New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1999), 321.
[6] Barry G. Webb, Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2015), 160.
[7] Joseph Epstein, “When Character Mattered in D.C.,” The Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2023.
[8] Id.