An Example of Selfless Leadership
Yael Eckstein | February 3, 2023
When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel. — 1 Chronicles 11:3
This month marks the fourth anniversary of the passing of my father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. In his honor, I offer you a selection of devotions on the spiritual importance of legacy and leadership.
If there’s one thing that’s hard for me to tolerate as a mom, it’s when I see my children acting selfishly. I learned from my father, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, who learned it from his father, to reject selfish behavior.
So, when I see one of my kids saying, “Why should I wash a dish that I didn’t even use?” or trying to advance their own interests at the expense of others, I don’t back down. Thankfully, my husband and I have been quite successful. Our children are, thank God, shining examples of putting the needs of others first… well, most of the time.
One fascinating example of selfless leadership we see in the Bible is recorded in 1 Chronicles. 1 Chronicles 11 tells the story of David’s coronation as king: “When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel.”
An Example of Selfless Leadership
Two points stand out for me in this verse. First, the Bible tells us that “all the elders of Israel” wanted David to be king. The second important detail is that we are told that David “made a compact,” or berit in Hebrew.
It doesn’t say “they” established a compact. David did it. In other words, David took the initiative in establishing his rule upon a constitutional foundation via a berit, a covenant with the elders of Israel.
We see that although David possessed overwhelming popular support and could have taken full dictatorial power, he chose instead to establish a berit between himself and his people. David himself gained nothing from this berit; in fact, it limited his power, but he knew that it would greatly benefit the people, and that’s why he did it.
This episode is an example of selfless leadership based on the true meaning of a covenant. A covenant is a binding agreement that is based on selflessness. Another feature of a covenant is that it’s meant to last. And of course, that was God’s blessing and promise to David, that the kingship of Israel would remain in his line forever.
The lesson here is one we must all take to heart. The path to eternity is built on a commitment to something greater than our own personal needs.
Your Turn:
Let us recommit to the principle of berit — of selfless devotion to family, friends, strangers, and most of all, God.