Ever had a boss tell you to do one thing and then they do not do it themselves? That’s so frustrating right? Don’t answer that out loud, just nod your head…ok I see you!

How about trusting leaders not following through with their actions? Elections are coming up so we will be promised the moon and stars, but will we see their actions backing up their words? How about people in your community? I remember being a kid asking my Grandaddy, who was a farmer, why he was in his tractor instead of church on Sundays. He smiled at me and told me that He could talk to God in his tractor and ignore the hypocrites at church. I didn’t quite get that then, but after years of ministry I do today.

That left a big impression on me as a kid and to this day when I preach, I always tell people this is something that I went through myself or currently working out today. Transparency and integrity are the keys of leadership me.

It’s biblical. Proverbs 29:19 says, “It takes more than talk to keep workers in line; mere words go in one ear and out the other.”

As a leader at work my teams have always been able to trust me. They know that I am in the trenches with them. They have to be able to trust me for us to succeed. If I tell them I’m available to help, they know they can call at 2am if necessary.

As the leader for our youth ministry, they know I’m not going to preach about something and then go back and do it myself. If I’m struggling through it, I want them to know that they aren’t alone. I guess I hear my granddaddy’s voice a lot in that. Being open has brought deep conversations and real healing for myself and my congregations.

The times I do miss the mark I have to own it. I eat crow all the time and apologize that I didn’t complete or do something. I’m not perfect by any stretch, but I value integrity above all else. I believe that’s what Proverbs 29:19 is talking about.

Take a moment and reflect how you lead. Do you lead by example at home? Do you lead by example at work and church? What about the community? We are all called to be leaders regardless of our titles or backgrounds.

Lead with integrity today. Lead ethically today. Serve others and let your words follow your actions! Be the leader Proverbs 29:19 describes.