Issue #63, August 24, 2011
In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded him concerning them. (Deuteronomy 1:3)
After 40 years of leading the people in the wilderness, Moses nears the end of his leadership journey. Because of his sin, he will not be allowed to enter the promised land. Before he breathes his last, God has two more tasks for him to accomplish. The first is to communicate to the new generation God’s direction for their lives. As a young man, Moses was “powerful in speech” (Acts 7:22); but now as a seasoned leader Moses is a great communicator. The verse above sets the stage for the entire book of Deuteronomy in which Moses makes his final address to the people. How does he communicate as a servant leader?
He represents.
Moses now recognized that he was not the primary communicator. He was simply representing God to the people and proclaimed all that the LORD had commanded. This is a key difference between servant leaders and selfish leaders. Servant leaders recognize that as they communicate they represent the voice of God. Representing God in our communication makes a profound difference in the tone, content and motive of our speech whether this is in a board room, staff meeting, public address or casual conversation. Jesus represented the Father as He spoke and recognized that what He said and how He said it was directed by God. (John 12:49) As a public speaker I am more aware of this when I stand before people, but I believe it is God’s intention for me in every conversation.
He repeats.
The book of Deuteronomy is a repetition of the law of God. Although it seems monotonous at times, Moses realized that people tend to forget and leaders need to remind them. In his case, he was also dealing with a new generation of people and wanted to insure that they were fully aware of all that God wanted them to know. Servant leaders repeat vision, direction, and instruction to keep followers focused on common goals. (See 2 Peter 1:12)
He reveals.
A quick reading of the book of Deuteronomy reveals that Moses masterfully paints a picture of the future for the people of Israel. He recounts past victories as an assurance of a great future. He talks about the land flowing with ‘milk and honey.’ Again and again he promises them God’s blessing for obedience. Great communicators paint vivid pictures of the future that keep people focused on their objectives. Some leaders use words to manipulate people to their own selfish ends but servant leaders paint pictures to motivate followers to fulfill God’s plan for their lives.
He rebukes.
Moses’ communication to the people often contained a warning of the consequences of disobedience. Revealing a positive future comes naturally to many leaders. But Moses realized that servant leaders communicate not only what people want to hear but what they need to hear. Forty years of wandering in the desert made Moses very aware of the price of sin and he doesn’t dilute the message! His words in Deut. 8:11 are typical, Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his command, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Servant leaders are not afraid to warn people of the consequences of wrong actions.
Servant leaders learn from Moses to rely not on their own ability to persuade but to communicate God’s words to the people they lead.
The background reading for this issue is: Deuteronomy 1-33 (Especially 1:1-5; 4:1-31; 5:1-33; 11:8-15, 26-30; 26:16-19; 28:1-19; and 30:11-20)
For further reflection and discussion:
- Does my speech reflect God’s intention for those who hear me?
- Am I continually aware of my role to represent God to those who follow me? What can I do to grow in this awareness?
- Do I repeat the vision often enough? Too often?
- Do I consistently paint a picture for my followers of where we are going? Is it done in a way that inspires a shared vision of the future? What creative ways can I use to keep this in front of people?
- Am I willing to be honest with people about the price of disobedience? Can I do this with pure motives?