Issue #64, September 7, 2011
Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Jordan.' The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said (Deuteronomy 31:1-3).
One final task remained for Moses’ leadership, passing the baton to the next leader, Joshua. This transition left a legacy for the children of Israel and shows us the way servant leaders handle similar transitions.
Servant leaders step down.
Moses was very old by our standards and told the people that he is no longer able to lead. However, he was not quitting because of his age. Scripture is clear that his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone (Deut. 34:7). Moses was still able and ready to cross over the river and see his dreams come true. But it was time for him to step down. Why? The LORD has said to me… We all love the call to positions, but find it very difficult to hear God calling us from positions. Moses was a servant and realized that leadership was a gift from God that could be revoked at any time. God may tell us to step down at the height of success, or when we grow old. In either case, servant leaders don’t cling to their positions and find the right time to step down.
Servant leaders lift up.
Woven throughout the story of Moses’ leadership is his relationship with and training of Joshua, preparing him for leadership. His action at the end of his life was not a hasty decision; he had been training Joshua for years! He gave Joshua responsibilities like standing watch at the tent of meeting, spying out the land and fighting the Amelekites. He helped prepare Joshua for leadership many times by simply taking him along with him as he demonstrated leadership. They were together on the mountain when God gave Moses the law. Servant leaders realize that they will not be in a position forever and that God has called them to lift up other leaders.
Servant leaders hand off.
Moses didn’t simply get out of the way; he deliberately installed Joshua as the new leader. In a powerful symbolic act, Moses laid his hands on Joshua in public and released him to lead (Numbers 27:18-22). He took the initiative to ensure that his successor was properly trained and then released to do the work. It was a beautiful example of a smooth transfer of power. Many leaders stumble at this point either by not being willing to release the work to someone else or by not declaring publicly their confidence in the new leaders’ ability. Servant leaders bless their successors and then get out of the way. They leave a legacy as they release the baton into the hands of their trained successor. They finish well!
Moses, what a leader! For the past 17 issues we’ve examined his leadership. He was certainly not perfect but was an outstanding example of a person who learned to lead others with the heart of a servant. We do well to learn from his life.
The background reading for this issue is: Deuteronomy 31-34. (See also Exodus 17:9-14; 24:13; 33:11; Numbers 11:28; 13:16; 27:18-22; 34:17; and Deut. 3:21-28)
For further reflection and discussion:
- What have I observed in leaders who are not willing to step down? What happens to them and to those who follow?
- If God asked me today to relinquish my role, would I willingly obey?
- Am I actively training others to take over my responsibilities? Have I identified someone who can take over my role? Do I purposefully take an apprentice with me for on the job training?
- When it is time for my transition, what will I do publically to pass on the baton to others?
- What key things have I learned from this study of the life of Moses and what steps do I need to take to put them into practice?