and observed how Moses and the other leaders responded. Because he was closely tied to Moses, he was privy to information that others might not have been. In addition, Moses had the opportunity to speak into Joshua’s life. Joshua learned what leadership behaviors he wanted to emulate based on Moses’ style; he also learned what behaviors were not amenable to him. Joshua and Moses had very different personalities. Where Moses was prone to forgive the people and to ask God to forgive them despite frequent periods of ungodly behavior on their part. Joshua would be more prone to punishing those who refused to obey God’s instructions.
| Are you more of a Joshua and Caleb, or are you among the ten who felt like faith in God was insufficient to take the land that God had said belongs to you? |
Back to you and your journey – as you become more and mature in God, you will find your journey changing – destination is the same but the route has more complexity to it. You are more of a threat to the enemy now; you know more; you have some testimonies under your belt. You have God’s attention, and the enemy tries to subvert or pervert what God has created and purposed for you. During parts of your journey, the old and obvious signposts are gone. You are being re-routed through unfamiliar territory. At times, you may be having difficulty getting your bearings – none of the old mnemonics work for you in telling you where you need to be. The exits are different, and the place where you used to stop to refuel is no longer accepting customers or your credit is no longer good there. Things which were easy for you are now more challenging – you have gone to another level, perhaps to another dimension. The rest stops have been blocked up, and you are being sent on a detour in a place where you know nobody and nothing. All of the old tricks, tools and techniques that you used in the past to navigate – to get your bearings – to find your direction are no longer operable for you. When you plug in the destination that you thought was the journey upon which you were embarking, your GPS is replying, “Recalculating.” What used to be shown on your screen no longer shows up in the same way. You are getting shorter sound bytes of information, and you cannot see the total picture. All you know is that you have been told to move forward, and further directions would be provided at the appropriate time. Your only other instruction is to empty your bowel and bladder – get rid of the weights that so easily beset you (Get the weight analogy from the other class) – fill up your tank with the Word of God, fasten your seatbelts, and listen to the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Things you took for granted would always be there are not – the boss you were cultivating for a future opportunity has been transferred. The landscape is different, the road has more construction and steeper curves.
Gabrielle’s Gem – Gabrielle is only 2 ½ years old. Her mobility is limited to the area we have defined for her to travel within. She can run fast, for a two year old, but she is not faster than her brother, her parents, or her grandparents. We have to clear the road for her, to protect her from things that she does not know yet are dangerous. There is a pond behind the house where her family lives. Gabrielle loves to look at the water. She has been “warned” that the water can be dangerous for her and she is not to be at the water unaccompanied. The reality is that Gabrielle is NEVER left outside by herself. With her natural curiosity, she could well end up on the bank of the pond with no intention of going in. However, because she does not understand the impact of water, grass and mud on the edge of the embankment, she could easily wind up in the pond. If no one is with her, she could drown in even a couple of inches of water. As parents and grandparents, it is our responsibility to ensure that she is in a safe zone and has an adult with her at all times.
As Christian sojourners, we are never alone. God promised never to leave us nor to forsake us (Joshua 1:1-8). Even in the midst of our darkest moments, God is with us. His angels surround us to protect us and to work on our behalf. Just because we cannot see them does not mean that they are not there. What a comfort it is to know that there is no place where the Lord does not accompany us. As we seek His face and ask for His guidance, we become better leaders and better people.
When thinking about our continuing development as leaders for life, it is important that we first examine our attitude toward lifelong learning about our craft (occupation, talent, ability) and lifelong learning about God through the Word of God. There are two examples and two key words that I want to share with you concerning this. As we learn more about Him and share what we have learned with others, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread throughout the world. This is the mission that Jesus gave to all of us – “The Great Commission.”
My first example is from Acts 19:1-7. Apostle Paul was in Ephesus, where he met twelve of John the Baptist’s disciples. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit when (or since) they believed. They replied that they had not heard about whether there was a Holy Spirit. As you will recall, John the Baptist died before the Holy Spirit was released. He (John) had taught them all that he knew, but he just didn’t know it all. God sent Paul to teach them “the rest of the story.” They had had an excellent foundation, but one was sent to them to help them get to the next spiritual level. Paul baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus and laid hands on them. The Holy Spirit came upon them, and they then spoke with tongues and prophesied. As individuals, we cannot possibly know everything that there is to know. Often we are called upon to make decisions when there is not full information. We have to move forward with partial knowledge, trusting in the Holy Spirit to provide us with spiritual insight and wisdom.
| There may be some people who work with you who are better at leading than you are. What can you learn from them and their success? You may also learn from poor leaders the things that you do not want to do as a leader. Both perspectives can be very helpful as you develop your own skills and abilities. What kinds of feedback are you getting from your direct reports and ministry partners? While “different” is not always better, it sometimes can be. Can you do “different” in a way that makes you a better leader? |
Acts 18:24-28 provides the second example in which we learn about the great orator, Apollos. When Priscilla and Aquila (two of Paul’s disciples) experienced Apollos’ preaching, they noticed that he did not have the fullness of the information that Paul had shared with them. They privately went to him and tutored him on the things that Paul, through Christ, had taught them. Apollos had preached well, with great technique, power and influence, but he didn’t have all of the message before. Aquila and Priscilla corrected him in love and shared freely what they had learned. What power he had after he knew the rest of the story!
Application
Many in our companies, nonprofits, ministries, congregations, and lives who are within our sphere of influence, have great zeal about the Word of God and how to apply It. Unfortunately, they may have incomplete knowledge or understanding. We have to be intentional in helping people to learn and understand what God’s Word means in the spiritual and natural realms. They don’t pick it up through osmosis. We have to be transparent and share some things that might not show us in the best light. We want others to be free of every type of bondage, as we ourselves desire to be free.
Vocabulary Builders
The first of the two words I would like to share with you is “decathlon.” You have to be multitalented, multifaceted, and multi-prepared for what is needed in kingdom building. We are to steadily and forcefully move toward the prize of the upward calling through Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13). The Word says that we are to press – constant pressure, forward momentum. We do not want to run the race in a helter-skelter fashion – here, there, and everywhere, but in a focused manner (Heb. 12:1; Eccl. 9:11). We want to be well-trained spiritual athletes well-versed in the Word of God. Your spiritual muscles need to be developed for both the spring and the long-distance races. You have trained well in other arenas, and you have developed and honed skills and gained an appreciation for God’s Word. Whatever your occupation, we are all called to be a minister of the Gospel and to share God’s Word with others. We need wisdom now more than ever before. God promises that if
