Issue #62, August 10, 2011
We’ve looked at Moses’ leadership from many different perspectives as he led through some victories and also tough times. But hidden in the chapters of specific incidents about which we read I find the greatest challenge Moses faced: leading in between. Think about it, for forty years Moses led the nation of Israel around and around in the desert waiting for everyone from that generation to die. They had left the past behind, but the dream of the future was still a distant goal. It was leadership going nowhere except to funerals! By the most conservative estimates, one million people died during those 40 years. That’s about 68 funerals a day! I like baptisms, child dedications, new members’ classes, weddings, sales parties, etc. They are signs of growth and moving forward. But what leader likes funerals or leading when the goal is far in the future?
While Moses’ situation was extremely unusual, there may be times when we are called to lead when the way forward is not clear or the usual marks of progress are not available. It was not Moses’ fault that they would not reach the promised land and it was not a result of poor leadership. When we find ourselves in that desert experience what can we learn from Moses about how servant leaders deal with these periods?
Surrender your own dreams.
When he began leading Moses at least had something to look forward to accomplish, he was going to lead a nation into a new land. That’s enough to get any leader’s adrenaline moving! Moses anticipated a couple months journey through the desert. Instead, he got forty years of in between leadership. To keep leading, Moses had to surrender his own dreams of grand success. There are no awards, no prizes, no coveted speaking engagements for those who lead in the desert. Desert leadership is not fun! Moses could not have lead in this desert before he first had his own desert training. Death to self is required before anyone can do this and only servant leaders are willing to sign up for these jobs!
Keep people moving.
For forty years, Moses kept people moving. Some of it was practical; they had to find new places for water and graves! But I think Moses also realized that even in the desert places of life, people need direction and they need leaders that motivate them to keep moving. I would be tempted to find a shade tree and wait for the next generation! But Moses, day after day, sounded the call to pack up move on.
Focus on the eternal.
What kept Moses going all these years? Certainly it wasn’t the direction they were going or the desire to achieve great things. It wasn’t the hope of a promotion or increased salary. As I reflect on what kept him going I conclude that when all the external things leaders look for were stripped away, Moses was left with the most important, his relationship with the One who called him. He was able to look past the funerals, past the complaints, past the sand in his tent and keep eternity in perspective.
“He was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:26) His focus on the eternal allowed him to persevere through the desert and remain effective as a leader.
As I reflect on Moses’ leadership in the desert, I want to honor those among us whom God has called to lead in places that may seem to not have the recognition and honor of coveted leadership positions. I salute those who work behind the scenes, those who are serving daily to make someone else’s dream come true, those who are called to lead others through a transition and then fade into the background, the interim pastors and small business owners. May God put your names close to Moses’ in His hall of fame!
The background reading for this issue is: Numbers 33
For further reflection and discussion:
- In what way is my present leadership ‘in between’ the past and the future?
- What are the things to which I must die to be able to lead people through a time with no visible progress?
- How can I motivate people to keep moving, when the ultimate goal seems out of reach?
- What can I do today that will help me focus on the eternal rather than my current situation?