Spirit & Truth # 268
“Mo & Co.”
By Greg Smith
Has God called you to be a leader in
your church, in your workplace, or in your home? Believers need look no further than Moses for
a great example of what it takes to be a leader. Moses was a spiritual and political adept
whose contributions continue throughout Judaism and Christianity to this
day. His influence affects not only
adherents of those two religions, but through them he continues to shape the
world. Though famous for his sagacity,
Moses was not a genius all by himself.
He enjoyed the benefit of a company of advisors, both from his own
generation and the generation above him.
Moses’ mother Jochebed exercised
great faith in placing him in the care of Pharaoh’s daughter by way of a
floating cradle.[i] The Egyptian princess who raised him surely
provided him with the finest of tutors, in addition to all the advantages
afforded to a prince of Egypt. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro Ruel of Midian,
offered astute advice concerning the administration of justice in Israelite
court cases.[ii] While Moses’ insight into the divine surely
came from heaven above, his worldly wisdom was a gift from loving people one
generation above him.
 | |
| Moses, Aaron, and Miriam |
Good leaders need to listen to the
wisdom gleaned from their elders. They
also avail themselves of the counsel of peers.
Moses’ wife Zipporah saved his life with her quick thinking at least
once,[iii]
and certainly proved that “behind every good man is a good woman.” As a young child, his sister Miriam was the
agent by whom Jochebed became her own son’s wet nurse.[iv] As a grown woman, Miriam the prophetess led the
Israelites in worship,[v] and
offered Moses advice (whether he wanted it or not).[vi] Moses’ brother Aaron served as the stuttering
prophet’s spokesman,[vii] and
later became the high priest of Israel,[viii]
helping his brother Moses turn Hebrew tradition into an established
religion. The three siblings worked so
closely together that there was little divide between where the work of one
ended, and the work of another began.
Leaders need advice from those who
have been around the block a few more times than they have. They also should listen to input from their
peers. But leaders are nothing without
the people they lead. As Jesus called
His disciples to make other disciples,[ix]
so He expects all believers to pass on the wisdom He has given them. Moses was a mentor to Joshua and Caleb, who
carried on his work long after he was gone.[x] In turn, these young disciples assumed the
mantle of leadership and passed on their knowledge to the generation beneath
them.
If God has called you to be a
leader, then remember the resources He has given you. You don’t have to go it alone. Receive help from those who have already
blazed the trail. Prayerfully consider
the opinions of your peers. Pass on
God’s truth to those who follow you. And
the wisdom-giver “will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”[xi]
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