If a ruler listens to falsehood all his officials will be wicked. Proverbs 29:12
This proverb encapsulates a general principle, that those in leadership pass on their faults more quickly than their virtues.
Leaders are watched, and watched with greater expectation of trustworthiness than the watchers expect of themselves. So inevitably, when a fault is evident in the leader it justifies at least that degree of failure in the watcher.
This is why teachers will be judged more harshly. Our leaders must be willing to live right before they ever dare to lead.
Ezra had it right: For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10
