So You Want To Lead?

“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead.” Joshua 1:1, 2

Joshua was Moses’ servant before he became the Lord’s servant.

In other words, Joshua submitted to Moses before he succeeded after Moses. Submission before succession is the key to becoming a leader. 

SUBMISSION

Joshua is described as “Moses’ assistant”. This means that he served Moses in whatever Moses needed. But beyond personally assisting Moses, we know that Joshua was integral to God’s bigger plan for Israel. The fact that Joshua was submitted to Moses did not mean that he was not doing important things or was not holding a position of influence or was not respected by others. He was. But here’s the point: Joshua learned to lead from a place of submission. Leading isn’t the goal, anymore than driving is the goal. The destination is the goal. You need to learn to drive in order to get to your destination. Likewise, you need to lead in order to arrive at the destination God has prepared for you. We need to understand the value and longterm leadership effect of true submission and humble service. When our heart submits under the leadership hand of another, God molds our heart in preparation for the day when we will succeed someone. 

SUCCESSION

Successful submission leads to succession in leadership. Moses was called the servant of the Lord. He was God’s chosen and appointed leader for a particular time in Israel’s history. But when his time came to an end, so did Joshua’s time as his assistant. Joshua becomes the Lord’s servant when God declares, “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) God’s faithfulness to Joshua was according to Joshua’s faithfulness to Moses. Future leaders fail to recognize the enormous consequences their faithfulness to another leader will have in their own leadership. It would be by God’s power and might that Joshua would take the land, as it had been by God’s power and might that Moses had led Israel out of Egypt. But God’s power flows most mightily through those leaders who are living in submission to Him and who have lived in submission to those He placed in authority over them. 

 

Leadership is not an end in itself. Many hold leading and leadership as the goal of succession, but it is not. The goal of leading is to get somewhere and to accomplish something. Joshua knew what he had to do. He needed to be strong and courageous to lead the people into the land, to conquer it and to possess it. The land was the destination. Taking possession was the goal. 

So you want to lead? Become a servant of your leaders, be a good assistant, and God will make you a great leader, a servant of His glory.

Comments

[mark]

I was just google-ing a bit to get a bit more background info. on Joshua for my sermon tomorrow when I came across your blog. Praise God thank you for posting these meditations of yours. It was a great blessing to read, very insightful and gave some great thoughts for my message. God bless you.