What is it like to be leaderless or without a head? The body keeps going through the motions, but the direction is gone because no one is pointing out the 'new way'. We travel the road of life, and as we travel, our location changes day by day. Some places are familiar, but many are not. In familiar places, we can go on autopilot, moving around with little thought. Or, we may just exercise on a track—round and round in circles—just counting the number of laps, continuing to move, appearing to be doing something, but really just in a holding pattern.

When the leader, the one with the map, leaves—the acting leader takes charge. But if the leader takes the map or the acting leader doesn't have access or authority, then the direction becomes muddled, unclear. Back on the track and wandering along only the familiar paths.

It isn't that the leader is the only one with a good idea of where to go, but he/she is the point person to whom ideas go. With no head, there's no one to talk to about where to go, to confirm the correctness or error of a plan, and if good, to give it life. New problems arise for which the old solutions won't work. The troops stumble into these holes, and it creates insecurity, uncertainty. The motivation to stop becomes stronger than the desire to move on. Is this way a dead end? Am I causing more harm to myself and/or to others?

During my time in Khartoum, three major organizations became leaderless. One leader had his passport stolen. Another became ill and then had visa problems and couldn't return to the country. The third leader found himself in conflict with his sponsor and also had family issues. What was God trying to tell us? Maybe, He is helping us value our leaders so that we are more willing to be led, to support them in prayer, and to appreciate their contribution!