Cover-up: A Discussion on the Impact of Distraction on a Leader

David’s story in the Bible serves as an ideal case study for understanding human nature and the reality of cover-up. It exemplifies the best within each of us and our internal demons. In previous works, I reflected on some of David’s remarkable virtues–faithfulness, service, hard work, discipline, gratitude, and various leadership qualities. David’s attributes inspire hope and admiration. He had a consistent record of integrity, and the Lord promised him generational blessings. Indeed, the Christ is born into David’s lineage, a part of David’s blessing that all religions of the book acknowledge today.

However, like every human, David had the potential to display the worst in all of us. And didn’t he show it? Reading Second Samuel 11, one can’t help but feel saddened, troubled, and shaken by the level of decadence in a chain of events that started with a single sensual lust. The Scripture describes these events.

At the Wrong Place

Firstly, when kings went to war, David, being a king, stayed home. This description provides context and suggests that when we are not where we are supposed to be, we make ourselves vulnerable to the most debased part of us. The legendary NBA player Shaq O’Neil once shared a story of how, as a rookie, a prominent player advised him at a party to avoid hanging out with a particular group. The scene of their group’s gathering was far from being morally sound. The older player warned Shaq that following the group’s path would ruin his life and future.

Shaq admitted that he didn’t understand then. But, years later, he realized that the older player was looking out for him and helping him avoid future disasters. He wasn’t where he was supposed to be. A good elder had to tell him.

Often, we crave acceptance and put ourselves in situations where we become vulnerable. It’s crucial to be where you’re supposed to be.

Wondering Mind

Secondly, because David was not where he should have been, his mind wandered to where he would have preferred not to go. His stroll on the roof of his house, when he should have been at his duty post leading his soldiers in battle, symbolizes idleness during work time. When one uses work time for relaxation or idleness, there is a risk of weakening one’s sense of direction. Instead of focusing on life-transforming tasks, our weaker side tends to run wild. When you allow your mind to engage in what it shouldn’t, your emotions surge, overshadowing your ideal desire for more incredible things.

Idling

Thirdly, there is a saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Instead, I say an idle mind is the chaotic assembly of our worst imaginations and proclivities. When our minds aren’t engaged in activities aligned with our life’s mission, it becomes a breeding ground for distractions that steer us off course. Idleness pushes us further and further away from our desired future. Such was the case with David, who, rather than strategizing for the success of the war he should have led, lust after Bathsheba, a woman who was minding her domestic business. This scene is representative of any distraction. You see an alternative that undermines your goal once you take your eye off the mission.

In this world of abundant choices, many options will not lead you to your mission. The right choice is often less obvious and frequently overlooked. No one sets a test where the correct answer is more abundant than the distractors. The right answer requires your focused attention. Distractions are plentiful and can dominate your field of view. The more distracted you are, the less visible your path becomes. The less likely answer often becomes the most appealing attraction.

The above metaphor’s meaning was precisely David’s predicament. He saw Bathsheba and everything he wasn’t supposed to see. The curious mind is often fascinated with, if not glued to, what takes less self-actualizing effort to engage. The brighter the distraction, the dimmer the correct path, and the less our ethical considerations come into play. Thus, David faltered, tragically. However, there is more to the story, just as it is when we lose sight of our mission.

Losing Sight

Fourthly, when one loses sight of their life’s mission, they often forge a new path that takes them farther from their original course. In David’s case, this involved seeking a cover-up. He arranged a situation so that Bathsheba’s husband, a nobleman on the battlefield, would unknowingly assume the responsibility of fatherhood. It involves shifting the consequences of one’s wrong decisions onto an innocent party. Other people–my relative, friends, or even the larger society–should be the ones liable for my mess, for it isn’t my fault.

A vital attribute of a good leader is taking responsibility. But a leader who has strayed from their path often attempts to pass the blame for their mistakes onto others. Such a blame-gaming attitude is a clear sign of internal decay.

When people consistently assign blame and rarely accept responsibility, they reveal a deeper decay they lack the courage to confront. There is no limit to the lengths one can go if they aren’t ready to face their inner demons. If the fault always lies with someone else or someone else must always cover for me, I can always rely on someone else to do my bidding. A derailed mind, though audaciously mischievous, is brazenly cowardly. Be wary of someone who doesn’t own up to their minor faults because they would destroy cities to cover up their significant falls.

A Perspective on Cover-Up

When we hear “cover-up,” we often think of politicians, public figures, and leaders who want to conceal their indiscretions. But there is a demon of cover-up in every human being that has (or would) ever live. It starts in childhood, with the seemingly harmless pranks of blaming a sibling for breaking glass or stealing cookies when we were the culprits. If not checked, it manifests in the workplace, where we might single out the weakest or shyest member and make authorities believe they violated the policy we did.

It is evident in the heart of getting even, simply because we didn’t have things our way. The levels of indiscretion may vary, but the demon that causes them within us is the same–deceit and cowardice.

Upsetting Innocence

Fifth, for a person who has started a journey on the wrong path, away from where they are supposed to be, the innocence of others can be upsetting. As a kid, I believed that being good, honest, and innocent meant posing no threat to anyone. After all, who would ever pick a fight with someone who doesn’t have it in them to retaliate? (Only bullies do, and bullies are cowards).

As I grew older, I realized I was mistaken. Those forced to bear the brunt of another’s mistakes are often the weakest links, usually the innocent. The coward picks the weakest for their bullying. The case of Jesus’ crucifixion is a lesson. Although Jesus took the fall upon himself to save many, he also shows us that when push comes to shove, many would prefer a criminal over an innocent person. When the presence or stance of an innocent person hinders the wayward, they become the wayward’s target. The innocent don’t need to do anything–their presence is threatening.

Innocence Awakes

Uriah’s innocence–not succumbing to the influence of alcohol and not allowing the king’s command to skew his sense of right and wrong as a soldier dedicated to defending his country–was frustrating to a heart that had given in to inner demons. As a leader, when everyone in your office accuses a particular employee, make sure they are blamed for their wrongdoings, not because their presence halts unethical practices within your organization. Remember, the good, often the innocent, don’t have the microphone. They rarely complain, rarely speak up. Those with hidden skeletons in their cupboard are the ones who often seek to be in the good books of those in power. They are loud. Why? They need insurance. On the contrary, the innocent believe the gentility of their lives and actions are their insurance. Watch out!

Throughout Uriah’s tragic murder, he didn’t say a word or know anything. He was simply a good and innocent man. He died pure and holy. Eventually, people and history heard his sufferings because God sees and knows, and the truth will always emerge as the ultimate judge at the right time. For the wayward, a day of reckoning always comes. But, anyone who has lost their way does not need to wait until the day of reckoning; there is always a path to redeem and amend the lost paths.

Wild

Sixth, for those who have lost their sense of direction, their cover-ups know no bounds. They could sacrifice anything, including their sense of shame. David’s weakness, which speaks to human weakness, is not feeling any shame for marrying the woman whose husband he killed. As the king, he had better ways to repair the damage done to the woman and her family. The one he chose was the more convenient.

Loss of sense of shame is the last straw of the derailed mind. They murder shame; and when shame is gone, they are set for an epic fall.

Redemption

What we learn from this story is simple–most falls begin with a benign distraction from where our mind, heart, and hand are supposed to be. The best way to maintain focus is to continually ask oneself: Right now, am I where I’m supposed to be? Is my mind in the right place?

David repented, and his story remains one of triumph because he accepted responsibility for his actions. Repentance, accepting our vulnerabilities, and seeking help are always the best actions when we find ourselves in the wrong place. It also implies honest self-awareness and responsibility, recognizing that covering up takes us deeper into the dark parts of our lives, where we lose sight of everything, including ourselves.

Just as growth begins with a simple good seed that flourishes in fertile ground (Mark 4:26-34), so does destruction start with a tiny bad seed allowed to take root in a wild field of the mind. Redemption starts from a simple step, which becomes something very significant–every step we take matters. What we think makes a difference in the choices we make and shapes the steps we take. Focus! Be at your duty post.