David wrote Psalm 51 after committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband Uriah killed. Though he sincerely repented of his sins, some leaders are removed from office for moral failures because they do not truly repent or only repent for show. While some sins may disqualify leaders, more often leaders fail due to deceptions rather than mistakes. People are usually willing to forgive leaders who take ownership of their mistakes, but not those who remain unrepentant and deceive the public.

1. DTcEPTIoN, MoRE orrrN THIN
MISTAKES, DISQTALIFIES LTRoERS
For I acknowledge my transgrasions,
Andmy sin is alwaysbejoreme.
AgainstYou,You only, have I sinned,
And donethis euil inyour sight_
ThatYou may beJound just whenyou speal
An d blameless when you j udge.
PSALM 5i:3_4
avid wrote Psalm 51 shortly after he committed adultery with
Bathsheba and had Uriah killed. when Nathan confronted him about
his sin, the king fell to the floor and wept in bitter repentance. He
publicly sought restoration as a king and as a spiritual mary as thi psalm dem-
onstrates. Because of his repentant heart, God allowed him to remain in office
until he died.
why then, are some leaders removed from office when they fair moraily?
The answer maylie in the wayDavid maintained his trust in Goil. Those who do
not repent after some failure-or who do so only for public show-often lose
their positions. some sins no doubt disqualify leaders from continuing in leader-
ship, but more fail in leadership from their deceptions than from their mistakes.
History teaches that the'public usually forgives a leader who owns up to his mis-
takes, but refuses to forgive those who remain unrepentant.
when a leader deceives the people, they wiil no ronger follow him or her.
* The Maxwell Leadership Bible
When you make mistakes, how do you handle them?
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