Moses: An example true of leadership.
From "Shvoong" by Elizabeth Young
Posted by: Elizabeth Young
When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses felt completely out of his depth and promptly sought excuses designed to persuade God to choose someone else other than him; nevertheless he was the man God had called. He accepted and by degrees he grew to trust God. Although the Bible does not document Moses' inner feelings about the plight of the Israelites prior to the Exodus, the evidence shows that he cared; and God knew it. I've concluded that God in part called Moses for that reason. You would think that for having persuaded Moses to lead Israel, that God might have made things easy for him: After all it was God's idea, to deliver them from bondage. I’ve concluded too that like many other biblical stories, this one might have made little impact without the varying degrees of difficulty encountered by the story’s main characters. Had Moses accepted the call cheerfully, had Pharaoh released the Israelites at the first time of asking, had they arrived at the Promised Land without encountering trials and difficulties (designed to purge Egypt out of them), had it taken weeks or even months and not 40 years to get there, each of us when faced with trials would be justified in complaining to God. We can’t justifiably complain knowing what others like Moses were called to endure: Ask Job about trials. Had God at the time of calling him told Moses that the mission would last for 40 years, Moses would no doubt have refused. His mission was to lead the people; teaching them to serve and worship God, not to make disciples of them to himself. Throughout the Bible you will find that in all cases of leadership, the leaders' sole purpose was to point those following towards God. I read something recently and I found it very disturbing. The counsel given was: “Faith in Jesus Christ will lead individuals to follow the counsels of modern day leaders.” That seemed like blackmail, designed naively to encourage and perhaps persuade individuals to give God’s rightful honor to men: As though leaders are more relevant than God and Jesus. How can that be right? Why would an individual having faith in Christ look downwards to take counsel from men who themselves should be looking upwards to receive to then impart back to those they lead? Surely leaders are called to guide individuals towards achieving spiritual independence; to encourage them to walk independently with God, rather than to be encouraged into blind obedience. God in calling Moses to free the Israelites intended them to serve and worship Him. God did not take kindly to being slighted for a Golden Calf: They were to have no other god above Him. And when Moses offended Him, despite 40 years of service, God did not hesitate, He punished him. He was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. That might seem harsh, but this is an example of the justice of God. It doesn’t matter how much He loves an individual, God will not save them from the consequences of their disobedience. This perhaps is why Jesus taught that to know God is life eternal: When you know Him you would be foolish to risk offending Him. High positions of leadership mean nothing: Ask Moses. It is a guarantee of nothing; rather it places greater weight on the shoulders of those holding such high positions: Unto whom much is given much is required. God calls leaders, but when they become a law onto themselves He rejects them: Just as He rejected Saul when he became a law unto himself: Many are called but few are chosen. The Spirit will usually tell you if a leader’s counsel is of God, or not, but sometimes logic alone dictates that you reject counsel. One modern leader has counseled: ‘We must make decisions and experience the consequences in order to develop self-reliance and faith.’ Isn’t that an open invitation towards faithless living, to the spiritually uncommitted? I questioned it with this extreme scenario: “I decide to jump out of a window and I experience the consequences: broken bones/death... thus developing self - reliance and faith??? Surely this is a back to front statement?” How would we be able to rely on a God who leaves us to our own devices to see how we fare? But then that counsel is designed to encourage self reliance, rather than God reliance. It turns the whole truth of God upside down. When God commanded Noah to build an ark, Noah was not left to himself to improvise or to guesswork his way through the commandment... to develop self reliance and faith. God will gladly instruct us. Or why else command us to pray when we lack wisdom...? God is not a God of confusion. Some leaders offend God; misguidedly they practice diplomacy and political correctness so as not to offend the congregation; preferring to offend God. That kind of leadership only serves to weaken people spiritually. God is not politically correct neither is He a respecter of persons. Why would God take pleasure in a leader who asks nothing of the congregation? Moses led the Israelites towards the Promised Land relying solely on the word of God. Much of today’s problems are caused by leaders who are leading people with flattering words. But leading them where?
Spirituality, Relationships, Philosophy, God, Israel, Leadership, Moses, Obedience