In 1790, Abigail Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson and said, “These are the hard times in which a genius would wish to live. Great necessities call forth great leaders.”

Well, that need is certainly still true today. Our country is desperate for great leaders. But like most Americans, I have grown very weary of trying to assess the merits of our current presidential candidates.

I have been given plenty of Biblical reasons why supporting one candidate is okay and many other scriptural reasons why voting for the other one will be okay. Like most folks, I am trying to be both informed and inspired. But it ain’t working!

So in an effort to change my perspective and improve my attitude, I have begun searching for good, godly leadership in other arenas of life. I am looking for good leaders who already exist in my world. I want to develop a heart of gratitude for their efforts. I want to notice the “integrity of the upright (that) guides them…” (Prov. 11:3)

To help my search, I noticed in Crawford Loritts’ book on leadership (Leadership as an Identity) that he outlines 4 traits that those who wield lasting influence all have: brokenness (a desperate need for God), an uncommon communion with God (much more than simple “devotions”), authentic humility and a radical, immediate obedience to God’s will.

With those traits as the standard, I have begun to see good, godly leaders all around me. Consider those guys and gals that serve every week in children’s ministries of our churches. Some of them are so dedicated, so real that their leadership affects the entire congregation.

Or consider the sports coach in town that considers service more important than glory and insists his team focus on the community and not themselves. Or consider the humble civil servants that serve on small committees and boards all across the country, lending their efforts to making our towns safe and productive.

I see some great leaders on elder boards. I see moms who are running small businesses with great integrity and effort. I see young people serving in high schools with character and godly values.

Maybe this week you can join me in the search for good, godly leaders. Men and women in our own communities who seek His will in their own lives and wish to serve others in that pursuit. Let’s celebrate them. Honor their commitment. Encourage their efforts.

National leaders do affect our lives, but so do all these other folks. For a healthy, positive alternative, let’s applaud them.