I've been thinking about those who are spiritual leaders...those who are to teach the rest of us the Word of God. Came across an interesting passage in Jeremiah 5:3-6

Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to turn from sin. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent. Then I said, "But what can we expect from the poor and ignorant? They don't know the ways of the Lord. They don't understand what God expects of them. I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they will know the Lord's ways and what God requires of them." But the leaders, too, had utterly rejected their God. So now a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many.

Clearly, ignorance is not bliss. Because the leaders in Judah did not teach the people God's ways and what He expects, the people had no idea of who God is, and were therefore easy victims of the lions, the wolves and the leopards of the world. But that's not much different from our society today. We've turned our backs on God and have stopped reading His Word. Isn't it ironic that I can walk into a bookstore in the U.S. and find at least 50 different versions of the Bible and yet Biblical ignorance is at an all time high in the U.S.? Christians in developing countries know the Word of God better than we do. Our leaders are partly to blame for it. This ignorance of the Word of God is why people are falling for many of the lies our culture produces, such as "Look out for #1". A solution for this:

So now the Lord says, "Stop right where you are! Look for the old, godly way and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:16)

This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know Me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 9:23-24) (emphasis mine)

That is what we need--to truly know God and His love. We need our leaders to know God and His love. We need to prevent the lions and wolves and leopards from attacking. I pray that we will know God.