One of the dangers of leadership is being lifted up in pride. As the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Who could be a monarch without it going to his head? When you are over others you can start thinking that you are better than them or that the same rules don’t apply to you. That is what happened to David. God had granted him victory on every side. God had raised him up and even helped him overcome the rebellion of Absalom and Sheba. Just how great was his kingdom anyway? Perhaps that is the thought that ran through David’s head. At any rate, he gave the order to Joab to number the people of Israel. God had a specific way of taking a census so that no plague would come (Exodus 30:12). But David ignored the instructions.

Joab tried to stop him.

“May the LORD your God let you live to see a hundred times as many people as there are now! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this?” (2 Samuel 24:3, NLT)

But David didn’t want to hear any objections from his general. His command prevailed over Joab’s advice. After the census was completed, David was conscience-stricken. Have you ever noticed that sin’s payoff always comes up short? When you are tempted, sin seem so desirable and fulfilling, but after you take the bait and commit the transgression, it leaves you feeling empty and guilty.

This time David did not wait for God to bust him.

“He said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, LORD, for doing this foolish thing.’” (2 Samuel 24:10, NLT)

But this sin would have grave consequences. The prophet Gad came to David and gave him three punishments to choose from. David had the miserable task of choosing which one to receive.

The sad thing is that David’s sin, like our sins, could have been avoided. When the temptation of pride came to David, he could have taken the way of escape. He could have simply given thanks for how God had blessed him. Or he could have taken a census according to the prescribed method. Or he could have humbly acknowledged that Joab was right and taken to heart his counsel. Instead David insisted on his own way, and he suffered the consequences. But because he was in leadership, others also suffered, as we will see tomorrow.

If God has given us a place of leadership (such as being a parent, supervising coworkers, or leading a Bible study or service team at church) let us thank God for the opportunity to serve Him and others and ask Him to always keep us humble, knowing that apart from Him we can do nothing.