By Thomas Danjuma Abu
I was scrolling through the blue app when I stumbled on a question that refused to leave my mind. It was posted by my friend, Phil-Zoro Shawulu: “Does God actually choose our leaders?” Simple question, but loaded with heavy implications. It didn’t just provoke me—it unsettled me. It forced me to confront the uncomfortable gap between what we claim spiritually and what we practice politically.
So I paused and went to work—thinking deeply, observing society, and weighing both scripture and real-life governance, from the ward level to the presidency. And here is the uncomfortable truth: if God chooses our leaders, why do our choices look so human, so biased, and sometimes so disastrous?
You cannot make careless choices and expect a perfect outcome.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. People don’t choose leaders for the same reasons—and most times, not for the right reasons. Some vote based on tribe, others on religion, some on immediate benefit—what we now call “stomach infrastructure”—and many simply follow popular opinion. Now answer this sincerely: if the process is flawed, can the outcome truly be divine? God may be sovereign, yes, but man remains responsible. That is the tension many people ignore.
A polluted process will always produce a polluted product.
There is also a dangerous habit we must confront—the tendency to baptize our decisions with God’s name. We say, “God chose him” or “it is the will of God,” but was it truly God, or was it sentiment, pressure, or manipulation? Scripture gives us a clear picture. When the people demanded a king in 1 Samuel 8:7, God told Samuel, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me.” In essence, God sometimes allows what He does not approve.
Permission is not approval. Silence is not endorsement.
At this point, many will quickly point to Romans 13:1, which says: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This must be understood correctly. The passage speaks to God’s sovereignty over systems of authority, not a blanket endorsement of every individual who occupies power. It establishes order—not the perfection of human choices.
God ordains authority—but He does not sanitize every authority figure.
Bad leadership, therefore, does not fall from heaven—it rises from the ground of poor choices. It is produced by ignorant followership, compromised values, and emotional decision-making. Before we blame leaders, we must ask ourselves a more uncomfortable question: what kind of followers produced them?
Bad leaders are often the loud echoes of silent compromises.
Let me be very clear: not everyone you call a leader is truly a leader. Some are simply opportunists with microphones, influencers without integrity, and politicians without principles. Yet, we elevate them—not because they are qualified, but because we lack discernment.
Popularity is not proof of purpose. Noise is not evidence of leadership.
If we must get leadership right—whether political or spiritual—we must return to timeless principles. We must stop choosing leaders based on tribe, where we say, “he is our own.” We must reject choosing based on stomach, where immediate gain blinds long-term consequences. And we must avoid choosing based on trend, where we simply follow the crowd.
Crowds don’t always choose right—they just choose together.
Instead, we must choose leaders based on what truly matters. Character is non-negotiable—because a leader without integrity is a disaster waiting to happen. Capacity is critical—because good intentions without competence can still destroy a nation. And calling matters—because leadership is not just ambition, it is assignment.
A good heart without a strong head can still wreck a nation.
So, does God choose our leaders? Here is the balanced truth: God permits, people choose, and nations live with the consequences. God provides wisdom, principles, and discernment—but He will not vote on your behalf.
Heaven may guide—but earth must decide.
And we must never ignore the consequences. A bad political leader may cost you four years, but a bad spiritual leader can cost you far more. As written in Jeremiah 23:1, “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep.”
Leadership is not a title—it is a responsibility with consequences.
The final responsibility, therefore, rests with us. We must stop outsourcing our decisions to God while ignoring His principles. We must test leaders, examine their lives, and pray with understanding—not blind emotion. Then, and only then, should we choose.
Prayer is not a substitute for responsibility—it is a guide for it.
Because every vote is a seed, every choice is a prophecy, and every leader is a reflection of the values of the people.
Nations don’t just get leaders—they reveal themselves through them.
And here is the one question you must never forget: if Jesus returned today, would you be proud that you followed this person?
If the answer is no, then the decision before you is already clear.
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