Issue #48, January 26, 2011
In the next series of articles, we’ll reflect on the life and leadership of Moses. Why Moses? Consider these credentials. He was called the most humble man on the face of the earth and spoke to God face to face unlike any other prophet. He led a large group (likely over 2 million) for a period of 40 years and overcame all types of challenges including self doubt, physical survival, external attacks and internal dissension. In Hebrews he is listed in the faith “Hall of Fame” where more space is devoted to him than any other single leader. We have some things to learn from a servant leader like Moses! In this issue we’ll examine key elements from his background that shaped his leadership.
He was born into a family of faith.
Moses was born into a Hebrew family during difficult times and into a life of slavery and poverty. However, the strong faith of his parents enabled them to work hard to preserve his life from those who wanted to kill him and with God’s favor his birth mother was able to raise him for some of his formative years. This experience shaped his life of faith.
He was adopted as a young child.
After being nursed by his own mother, Moses went to live in the Egyptian palace as an adopted child of Pharaoh’s daughter. He learned another language and another culture and was separated from his siblings. Living in a position of privilege did not spare Moses from the struggles of identity that many adopted children face. He must have often wrestled with the question of where he belonged and how to be loyal to his birth mother who nursed him and his adopted mother who named him.
He was well educated.
As a child of the princess, Moses had the benefit of a world class education and had the best of Egypt at his fingertips. He became “powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22).
What impact did Moses’ background have on his leadership and what can we learn about servant leadership from his past?
God calls servant leaders from all backgrounds.
Moses experienced a short time in a family of faith and years outside of that environment of faith. Yet, he emerges as a man of faith and a strong servant leader. Moses could have focused on his birth in poverty and slavery and felt unworthy to lead. He could have focused on his life of privilege and felt entitled to lead. In time, he did neither. You might be tempted to exalt your background or hide it but Moses’ life shows that your usefulness in leadership does not depend on whether you have gone to church all your life or if you grew up in rebellion towards God. Keep your background in the background as you focus on what God has called you to do.
God uses our background to shape us for service.
While God can call you from any background it is also clear that God uses our background to shape us for service in a specific context. Moses’ early exposure to his faith heritage gave him the perspective he needed to turn his back on the privileged life of a prince. His adoption and years of separation from his birth family shaped the way he related to and cared for others. His time in the palace and his educational background uniquely equipped him to return to Pharaoh’s court and ask for God’s people to be released. He knew the protocol and language of the palace in ways that no other Hebrew could have known. Likewise, your background does not qualify you for service, but God does use it to equip you to serve.
Read the scriptures below and reflect on how your background can be used of God to shape your place and style of leadership as a servant leader.
The background reading for this issue is: Exodus 2:1-2; Hebrews 11:23-29; Numbers 12:3 Acts 7:17-44 and Deuteronomy 34:10.
For further reflection and discussion:
- What life experiences have significantly shaped the way I lead? (Reflect on your religious, educational, and social background)
- How has God used my background to uniquely equip me to lead in my current place of service?
- Do I tend to look down on my background or to exalt it? What is the result of an unhealthy focus on my past?
- What is the background of my church or organization? In what way has God uniquely shaped us to accomplish His purposes in our time and place?