In this selfish, capitalist society that prioritizes self-interest and personal gain, it is indubitably easy to get caught up in the world and lose sight of who you are. In times like these, I find it easier to be led than to lead myself further into the depths of despair. When I look to be led, I always turn to the Bible. The core principles of my faith lead me in the right direction every single time. It is within the Holy Book that I've encountered some of the best leaders the world has ever known, including but not limited to King Solomon, Daniel, and Joseph. The aforementioned individuals demonstrate the three characteristics of leadership that I value most: humility, wisdom, and dedication. Firstly, Solomon was appointed to rule God's people in the Kingdom of Israel. One fateful night, he dreamt that God had asked him to make any request and it'd be fulfilled. Solomon asked for wisdom. He could have asked for wealth, fame, power, or any other superficial item but instead, he nobly asked for wisdom to help him lead. His selflessness in the act of denying himself of worldly pleasures for the sake of the kingdom greatly pleased God. As a result, God blessed Solomon with immense wisdom, never before seen by anyone who came before him and never to be matched by anyone after him. Solomon applied his wisdom to many situations in his time as king, one such being that of the two quarreling women and their babies. One of the babies had died, and both women claimed to be the mother of the surviving child. To discern who was telling the truth, King Solomon suggested cutting the baby in two so that each woman could have half. One woman cried out in protest saying she'd rather the baby be given to the other lady than watch it be slayed. With this, King Solomon established her as the rightful mother. The manner in which King Solomon's resolved this case was a great manifestation of wisdom. Next, we have Daniel, the renowned survivor of the lion's den. Ever wonder how he got there? Well, the king at the time, King Darius, was tricked by the various ruling bodies of the kingdom into passing a decree that prevented any prayers to be offered unto anyone but himself. Daniel 6:10 says Daniel went home that day and prayed aforetime, or as he regularly did. He was caught. The same wicked subjects of the king that had him issue the decree persuaded him to throw Daniel into the lion's den as punishment. The King did so reluctantly, and in the morning came to see Daniel's fate. He was glad to see that Daniel's God had protected him, and to find that Daniel was a faithful servant of the Living God. Daniel's groundedness in his beliefs and the way he held on to his values made him a leader because he stood up for what he believed in, unassailable even in the face of death! Finally, we have Joseph, who remained admirably humble in his adverse tale of rags to riches. His brothers despised him for being his father's favorite. This was made apparent when he gifted him a coat of many colors. God had a way of speaking to people through dreams (see Solomon). Joseph had two dreams, both of which signified his supremacy. His brothers were enraged and conspired to exterminate him. His eldest brother was not in full support so he ended up selling him to some traveling Ishmaelite traders. His coat was then soaked in goat blood and shown to their father to convince him that Joseph had been mauled by a beast. Joseph ended up in Egypt, where he worked his way up the ranks of their political hierarchy, eventually becoming administrator. Through this tumultuous journey, Joseph faced a myriad of hardships including being seduced, almost dying, and baring the hatred of his own siblings, yet he was able to recognize God's hand in everything, and in Genesis 50:20 he says to his brothers “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good...” To be able to forgive the people whose jealousy rewrote your fate even though you have the power to punish them as you wish takes a special kind of humility. King Solomon's exemplary use of wisdom, Daniel's steadfast adherence to his beliefs, and Joseph's ability to remain humble are the golden standards of leadership that all leaders should strive to emulate. Wisdom allows one to rule with expert jurisdiction. Humility enables one understand and see eye-to-eye with their subjects. Finally, commitment lets a leader's people know that they are in good hands. Therefore, it is with awe that I reiterate, the characteristics of a leader that I value most include, humility, wisdom, and dedication as taught in the Bible.