Issue #52, March 23, 2011
“Afterwards Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said…Let my people go.” (Exodus 5:1) With this simple sentence Moses begins what will be forty years of leadership. For Moses, and every servant leader, after the call from God, there’s work to be done! His entrance into Pharaoh’s court is a lesson in courage for each of us.
Reflect with me for a moment on why this was a courageous act. First, Moses was reentering Egypt where forty years earlier he fled as a fugitive. His name was surely still on the government list of wanted men, but he boldly entered and headed straight to the capital city! Secondly, he displayed courage by entering the office of the strongest leader in the world at that time. Shepherds don’t usually have the courage to walk in those corridors. Finally, Moses’ courage was revealed in his bold request, “Let my people go.” He was not asking for a small favor; he was suggesting that Pharaoh give up his economic engine. What can we learn from the courage of Moses?
Courage flows out of God’s call.
Moses’ encounter with God in the desert convinced him that he was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt and provided the courage he needed to face Pharaoh. Moses’ courage did not come from his own abilities since the forty years in the desert left him as a broken man. He left Egypt mighty in speech and aware of his own abilities, but now he returns as a man called by God. When he murdered the Egyptian forty years earlier he had physical strength; he now returns with moral courage. It was God’s call that made the difference in his life and which empowers all servant leaders.
To think about: Do I sense God’s call in what I am doing to the extent that I have the needed courage to fulfill that call?
Courage focuses on God’s mission.
Moses found courage by focusing on the mission or work to which God called him. He was not back in Egypt to see the pyramids; he had a mission to accomplish. His people were in bondage and suffering at the hands of Pharaoh. But Moses could see his people as a free nation; free to live where they pleased and free to worship as God desired, and he knew that his task was to lead the people to this goal. It was not Moses’ mission; it was God’s and that focus enabled Moses to move with courage. Focusing on a mission larger than our own interests instills a sense of purpose and courage. Many leaders often lack courage because their focus is on their own small mission of selfish gain. Servant leaders are not bullies seeking to push their own agenda. Instead, their courage comes from God’s mission, and they are not timid about pushing His agenda.
To think about: Do I focus on God’s mission in my leadership or my own agenda?
Leadership requires courage. It takes courage to stand when no one else is standing. It takes courage to call people to commit themselves to a cause bigger than themselves. Leadership is not for the faint of heart. Servant leaders, like Moses, do not find courage in who they are or their own agendas. Rather, they find courage in their sense of calling and a clear focus on the mission for which God brought them into leadership. Their courage is based on conviction rather than conceit. It inspires confidence in those they lead and keeps moving forward even when obstacles arise. We’ll look more at this persistence in our next issue.
The background reading for this issue is: Exodus 5:1-6:12
For further reflection and discussion:
- What issues in my leadership right now need courage? What can I apply from Moses’ leadership to my own journey?
- As a follower, what is my natural response when I sense courage in a leader? What does that teach me about my own leadership?
- What has been the result in my leadership when I lacked courage? Was it because of my own fears and/or insecurities? Did I have a clear sense of God’s call and mission or was I focused on my own agenda?