Issue #53, April 6, 2011
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2). Moses is only three minutes into his leadership journey when he faces opposition! This opposition from Pharaoh goes on for weeks as God brings the ten plagues upon the land of Egypt. As if this was not enough, even the people Moses was trying to help refused to listen to him. (Exodus 6:9) It’s one thing to begin with courage, it’s quite another to keep going when all kinds of opposition arise. It takes persistence to keep going when the going is tough and servant leaders learn from Moses’ example how to lead with persistence.
Leading with persistence requires help.
It doesn’t take long after Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh before he returned to the Lord and said, Oh Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? (Exodus 5:22) Moses knows he needs help to keep going and turns to the source of his call and vision, God himself. As the plot continues to unfold Moses learns that leading with perseverance is emotionally draining when he becomes “hot with anger” as he leaves Pharaoh’s palace (Exodus 11:8). Moses is not immune to the immense toll that leadership takes on men and women who lead in difficult times. Like Moses, servant leaders are not afraid to admit that they need the help of God and others around them. They deliberately seek God’s counsel and share their questions appropriately with mentors and colleagues.
Leading with persistence demands a long term view.
To make it through these difficult days of the plagues Moses had to keep focused on the future. God reminded Moses repeatedly of His promise to bring the people out of Egypt. This vision of the future enabled Moses to persevere through the many conversations with Pharaoh, broken promises, dashed hopes, and all the ten plagues. Followers focus on the immediate problems but leaders keep their focus on the vision of where they are going. If you are leading through a difficult economic time or a time when people are leaving instead of joining your cause, look again at the long term view. Servant leaders find strength in reminding themselves what God wants to do in the future.
Leading with persistence produces victory.
Through all the ten plagues, Moses just kept moving forward. He went from Pharaoh’s palace to the assembly of leaders and back again to the palace. It took time and many major events before Pharaoh’s heart was changed with the death of his son but finally, after seven chapters of struggle, God’s people are set free from Egypt. Victory didn’t come on the first round or even the fifth but it came as Moses persistently followed God’s direction and refused to give up. What if Moses would have given up in despair when the seventh plague didn’t bring the change for which he hoped? He understood that some leadership challenges take a long time to win and require leaders who refuse to give up. Servant leaders are able to keep leading until the victory is accomplished.
If you’re facing a leadership challenge and have felt like giving up, learn from the leadership of Moses that good things happen to leaders who do not quit. Ask for help and keep the long term view in mind and keep going until you see the victory. In the next issue we’ll learn from Moses about celebrating those victories.
The background reading for this issue is: Exodus 2:15-12:50
For further reflection and discussion:
- Where do you turn for the help you need as a leader? Have you developed a close group of friends to whom you can go when facing difficult leadership challenges? Are you quick to turn to God for direction like Moses?
- Are you able to know when you have reached the end of your emotional reserves? What are the signals that alert you that you are drained?
- Do I normally focus on the short term obstacles or the long term vision?