One Moment Loved Next Moment Hated, Who is that?

Ecclesiastes 4:15-16
(15) I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. (16) There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

King Solomon explains a situation that still happens to this day. A king or a ruler or even a leader, has been in power for so long that somehow people have lost interest in him or her. A new leader emerges, even from prison and there is a lot of excitement and love for the new leader. Hate the old leader. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

King Solomon further observes that the new leader eventually succeeds in getting to power. After sometimes the same leader who was loved and celebrated as fresh blood and a solution to all problems is now hated with a passion. He was the darling of the people at one point and at the next point he is hated. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

Several lessons are clear from these observations by the wisest man to ever live. (1) If you are a leader and you are doing the right thing, you will still be hated and loved. Some will love you and others will hate you. It is what happens to leaders, you can’t change it, embrace it and serve God and His people. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(2) If you are a leader, you cannot gauge your success or failure by those who love you and those who hate you only. Even if you perform extremely poorly, there are those who will always love you. Even if you perform better than all leaders who ever lived, there are those who will always hate you. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(2) Apart from having a more objective way to gauge your own leadership, be reconciled to the fact that you can’t force people to love you. Do not waste precious leadership resources to win the hearts of people. Just do the right thing and move on. Do not be distracted by the need to investigate and list all those who hate you. Do not be distracted by the need to please people. Those who love you and those who hate you will always be there. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(4) The young leader was disliked after some time. After you have done your best for people, they may reward you with rejection. After some time of sleepless nights and efforts for a people, they may respond with loving new leaders they haven’t tried and hating you who has been there ever since. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(5) The new leader was disliked by the new generation. As times change, we become disliked by those who feel we belong to another era. A time comes that we either rise to our incompetence (Peter Principle), or we become a poor match to the times that we find ourselves in. That doesn’t call us to work so hard to behave like youngsters to impress the new generation, that would be grotesque! Stick to your lane or move to the next divine assignment. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(6) Arguments between those who love the leader and those who hate him or her are a waste of time. No amount of argument will persuade your opponent otherwise. The differences are not a result of a lack of someone to convince them. Love and hate are not based on what can be changed. Therefore the arguments are meaningless and act in futility. Energy is spent and feelings aroused but in the end, things remain the same. Lovers of the leader remain lovers. Haters of the leader remain haters. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

(7) When a leader is new even haters will celebrate him or her. Haters will celebrate to avoid being exposed as haters. Haters will be waiting for an opportunity and evidence to justify the hate they always had for no reason. One moment loved, next moment hated, that is a leader!

To be a leader is a special calling and only God can enable a person to withstand these realities without turning into a monster or dictator so to speak. May God grant us more resilient leaders who will not hate back those who hate them or only favor those who love them. May God grant us leaders who will be so focused on serving God that they will not notice the haters and lovers. May God grant us such leaders for our land and everywhere else, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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