He compiled a pretty impressive résumé—animal husbandman, writer, poet, musician and songwriter, astronomer, temple designer, warrior, administrator—but every year when I ask this question to ABC students in my Godly Leadership class, one of the first things they mention is not his talent, but God's extraordinary declaration in Acts 13:22: "I have found David...a man after My own heart." David's mistakes are well documented, but there was something in the core of David's heart that God loved. None of us may have all of David's talents, but every one of us can attain the same fundamental spiritual quality that helped him overcome his weaknesses, that kept him close to God and provided the strong leadership Israel needed. David's leadership qualities are beautifully summarized in Psalm 78:72: "So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." The Bible doesn't say much about management, but it offers a lot about leadership, and this statement is worth thinking about in depth. Both qualities, integrity and skill, are essential for effective leadership in all realms of life—marriage, parenting, career development, serving in the Church, pursuing an education, etc. If you have one without the other, what will be the result? Have you ever seen someone with great skills—well-educated, intelligent, charming personality and smooth talking, for example—but lacking integrity? What will you eventually see? In one form or another: corruption! Think of any of the high-profile scandals we see in the news, and you will see very skilled, persuasive, powerful leaders...who lack integrity. On the other hand, what if you have someone with great integrity, but lacking skills? You will see a person well-thought of, well-liked, someone with good intentions...but limited in their ability to get things done effectively. Both are necessary for positive, godly leadership, but which is most important? Without a doubt, it's integrity. How many employers have moaned, "Just give me someone who is honest and a hard worker, and I'll teach him the job skills!" Sad to say, in our personality-driven and entertainment-centered culture, integrity is an increasingly rare commodity, but it is at the core of godly leadership. Since this life is our training ground for future rulership in God's Kingdom, let's pay close attention to being people of integrity and instilling that quality in the next generation. UN