Our current wicked society is easily swayed to believe the idea that a political leader’s immoral private life has no bearing on his ability to righteously fulfill his public office—a projection of what they believe about their own lives, unfortunately. But this notion will not stand up to reason in the mind of anyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wisdom, both in public and private endeavors, is an extension of truth. Wisdom is the righteous application of truth. Any increase in an individual’s acquisition of truth is a function of their obedience to the truth they have already received and their diligence in obtaining more. A righteous society will seek out leaders who are wise and you can measure the righteousness of a society by the degree to which they do this.
12. Righteous political leaders understand and teach the importance of the two great commandments—to love God and to love others. The latter is kept in actual service to others. The people must “labor to serve one another.” No one, not even the leader, is exempt from this command. In fact, the leader should set the example for others to follow in this regard.
18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
13. Love of God is the natural result of a correct understanding of the nature of God, and his relationship to and dealings with man. Righteous political leaders cultivate the love of God in the hearts of their subjects by reminding them of the fact that every good thing comes from God. An acknowledgment of this fact leads to gratitude for all that God blesses us with. Not only does God lend us breath, but the laws that he gives to us are what enable us to enjoy the blessings of a peaceable society. It is our heavenly King who deserves thanks and praise and a righteous earthly king will encourage his subjects to direct their thanks and praise to God, and away from himself. This keeps the people in a constant, proper, and enduring state of humility.
19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
14. Righteous political leaders teach people that obedience to God results in blessings and prosperity. This promise is sure because God does not vary from what he says.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
15. Righteous political leaders teach people that their indebtedness to God does not end with their obedience. Also, it is noteworthy that King Benjamin says that God “immediately” blesses us when we obey—a claim which some may find easily debatable. We should seek to understand exactly how this happens.
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?
16. King Benjamin uses his own frailty and old age to demonstrate the nothingness of man to his people. Righteous political leaders will see themselves as less than “the dust of the earth” and will teach the people to view themselves the same way.
25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.
26 And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust. And ye behold that I am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother earth.
17. Righteous leaders hold the correct understanding that they will be held responsible for their influence on the people. The roles of “king” and “queen” inherently come with the ability to affect many outside a small inner circle of associates. The influence of kings and queens spreads far and wide and this fact is no small matter in the minds of those who desire to rule righteously. Righteous leaders will strive to be found blameless before God by being obedient to everything that God commands them.
27 Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you.
28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.