When the Wrong Person Wears the Crown 👑🔥
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What Judges 9 Teaches Us About Leadership (and Ourselves)
By Pastor Gary Boyd
We all love a good leader. Someone who steps up with confidence, speaks clearly, and makes us feel like everything’s going to be okay. 🙌 But if we’re honest… sometimes we follow people just because they seem strong. Or because they sound like “our kind of person.” Or because it feels easier than asking the hard questions. 😬
But not every strong voice is a godly one.
In Judges 9, we meet a man named Abimelech. His story is full of ambition, manipulation, and disaster. It’s a warning we still need today.
The Ambition That Kills (Literally) ⚔️
Abimelech wanted power. Not because God called him to lead, but because he wanted the throne. So he played the game.
- “I’m your flesh and blood” 🩸. That was his loyalty pitch.
- “One king is better than seventy” 😅. That was his fear-based sales pitch.
- He took money from a pagan temple 💰 and used it to hire sketchy followers.
- He killed his seventy brothers on one stone to eliminate competition. 😱
And it worked. The people made him king.
But just because someone gets the title doesn’t mean they deserve the role. And just because people follow doesn’t make it right.
A Warning from the Hilltop 🗣️🌄
Abimelech’s youngest brother, Jotham, escaped the massacre. When he heard what happened, he climbed Mount Gerizim and shouted a parable to the people.
In the story, the trees were looking for a king 🌳👑. They asked the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine. Each one said no, because they were already doing what God created them to do.
Then they asked the bramble. That’s a worthless, thorny bush. 🌿 The bramble said, “Sure, come sit in my shadow!” (What shadow??) 😒
Jotham’s point was clear. Abimelech is that bramble. No fruit. No shelter. Just danger and empty promises. And if they followed him, they’d all get burned. 🔥
This Isn’t Just About Ancient Kings 👀
You may be thinking, “Okay, but I’m not choosing kings.” Fair. But let’s be real.
We all give influence to people.
In our homes 🏠
In our churches ⛪
In politics 🗳️
In our friendships 🤝
Online 👀
The voices we trust and the silence we keep say a lot about what kind of leadership we’re willing to support.
3 Red Flags of Illegitimate Leadership 🚩🚩🚩
- It’s gained through manipulation and control.
- If someone has to flatter, threaten, or cheat to get ahead, they probably shouldn’t be leading. 🙅♂️
- It lacks fruit and depends on fear.
- Jesus said you’ll know people by their fruit. 🍎 Not by their followers, podcast downloads, or stage presence.
- It brings judgment not just on the leader but on the people who helped him rise.
- That’s the scariest part of Jotham’s warning. The fire doesn’t just burn the bramble. It burns the trees that crowned it. 🌳🔥
So What Do We Do? 🤔💡
Here are some practical, heart-level steps to take this week.
✅ Audit your influences.
Who are the top 5 people you’re listening to? Think about online voices, real-life mentors, or church leaders. Write them down. Why do you trust them?
✅ Look for the Fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–23 gives the real leadership checklist. Look for love ❤️, joy 😊, peace 🕊️, patience 🕰️, kindness 🤗, goodness 🙌, faithfulness 🙏, gentleness 🤝, and self-control 🧠.
✅ Speak up with grace.
The next time you feel pressure to “just go along” with someone who isn’t walking in truth, have one sentence ready. Something kind but firm. For example: “I think we need to ask more questions about this.”
✅ Celebrate the faithful.
Don’t overlook the quiet leaders. Send a text, write a card, or encourage someone who leads with humility and integrity.
The King Who Wore Thorns, Not a Crown 👑🌿
Let’s not forget the big picture.
Every human leader will fail us at some point. Especially if they’re driven by ambition more than calling. But there is one King who didn’t kill to gain power. He died to give us life.
Jesus Christ didn’t step on others to take the throne. He laid down His life to save His enemies. 🙌💔✝️
He’s the only King worth following.
Final Thought 💭
When churches, families, and communities choose leaders based on power instead of character, everyone suffers.
But when we start honoring humility over hype, character over charisma, and fruit over flash…
🌱 Families grow strong.
🕊️ Churches become safe again.
💡 Communities shine with light.
Let’s stop crowning brambles. Let’s start following Jesus.
