Finishing well is an important concept for leaders to think about. After studying every leader in the Bible, Dr. J. Robert Clinton’s research concluded that only one in three spiritual leaders finished well. That’s a sobering statistic, and it should cause all of us to pause and reflect on our own lives and leadership.

One of the leaders who finished well in the race of life was Samuel. After Saul was confirmed as king, Samuel gave a farewell address to the people.

Samuel began by saying, “Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day” (1 Samuel 12:2). Then, in Samuel’s remaining remarks, we see five traits emerge that marked the life of a leader who finished well.

 

A Life of Integrity

Samuel lived with integrity before the people. He said, “Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated?” (1 Samuel 12:3). Samuel was honest, and he chose to be a man of integrity — the same person in private as he was in public.

Ray Pritchard once said, “As important as it is to know what you are talking about, it is perhaps even more important to be what you are talking about.” And Peter Drucker observed, “It’s more important to do the right thing than to do things right.”

Integrity stabilizes every other area of your life. It gives your life credibility. It builds trust in your relationships. It gives people a reason to follow you as a leader. Integrity is the foundation that supports the structure of your words and your actions.

 

A Healthy Use of Power

Samuel went on to ask, “Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes?” He was a leader who refused to leverage power and influence for his own personal gain. Samuel didn’t oppress people or accept bribes, and the people knew it. In fact, they said, “You have not cheated or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand” (1 Samuel 12:4).

Nobody drifts into finishing well. It requires discipline and intentionality.

John Stott wisely observed, “The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not correction but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.”

That was Samuel’s approach to power. He used it humbly and for the good of others. Leaders who finish well recognize that leadership is a stewardship, and they choose to steward influence for the benefit of the people they lead.

 

An Ownership of Responsibility

“If I have done any of these things, I will make it right,” Samuel said. He wasn’t perfect, but Samuel was willing to take responsibility when he made a mistake. Samuel walked with integrity and used power in a healthy way. But if there was ever a time that he didn’t, Samuel was willing to own it.

Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, noted, “Freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.”

Leaders won’t and can’t finish well if they dodge responsibility. They might get away with it for a while, but long-term influence requires leaders to be responsible spiritually, relationally, financially, personally, and professionally.

 

A Deep Commitment to God

Samuel took seriously his responsibility to lead by example and to teach people in the ways of God. He said, “If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God — good! But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors” (1 Samuel 12:14-15).

These weren’t just words for Samuel. He lived what he taught. Samuel modeled a deep commitment to God, and then he taught others to do the same. He went on to warn the people about “useless idols” and to “be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart” (1 Samuel 12:21,24).

What was the result of Samuel’s intimacy with God? Not only did he know God, but He walked in His power. Verse 18 says, “Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel.”

Everybody wants the power of God, but few discipline themselves to grow in intimacy with God. The leaders who finish well cultivate intimacy with God right up to the end of life.

 

A Habit of Praying for the People

Many people want to lead others, but few want to intercede for them. Samuel was more than a leader; he was a spiritual intercessor committed to pray for the people under his care. Samuel took this responsibility so seriously that he said, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right” (1 Samuel 12:23).  

Author Bob Sorge observed, “Prayerlessness is the first sign of prideful independence.” Pride is a common pitfall for leaders today, and Sorge’s words remind us of our need to be prayerful leaders who cultivate dependence on God.

I’m sure you want to finish well in life and leadership. But nobody drifts into finishing well. It requires discipline and intentionality. The five traits modeled by Samuel are a great place to start.