"The locusts have no king, yet all of them go out in ranks"
Remember that the organizing principle for this insight is things that are small that accomplish amazing things. In this case it is the small locust that does not have an obvious leader directing it but is organized to bring about amazing devastation.
locusts
This is the Hebrew word arbeh which means locusts. Here in this proverb the amazing unity of mission is what is in view. Even without a leader the locusts all work together because they are clear on the goal. They know what they are doing.
This is a leadership principle. Have you provided crystal-clear mission goals for everyone to embrace? When the leader provides clarity – even if he is not there – it will work. When there is no clarity, it won't work.
Everyone in Israel would have seen the destruction of a locust attack. It is amazingly efficient in destroying the crops of a family or town. No one is leading this onslaught; all the locusts are fixated on the target.
king
This is the Hebrew word melek which is the standard word for king, ruler, or leader. The locusts do not have one of these visible leaders, but they have clarity on the mission objective. It is this clarity that allows these small things called locusts to achieve big results.
ranks
This is the Hebrew word chatsats which means to divide, to cut off, ranks. The idea is that there are clear ranks and divisions within the locusts’ swarm without the benefit of an on-site leader.
How will you accomplish great things with a small force or small resources or small levels of might? Through clarity of mission and buy in across the organization.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz