Leadership Structure
There are times when businesses or big organizations are stuck with a leadership structure that is a bit out of date. There are times when these leaders do things because we’ve always done them that way before. I believe Leaders should continue to grow and learn even when their position is “topped out”. Leaders, in my view, should be perceived as a leader by other leaders. I think leadership is a skill to be learned but there are some people who appear to be “naturally born leaders”.
As Moses and the people of Israel were on the cusp of going into The Promise Land, God is still doing prep work through Moses. The leadership “hand-off” is starting to unfold as these instructions are given. Check this out….
16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 ‘These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land. (Numbers 34:16-18 NIV)
Joshua, the son of Nun was heir apparent to Moses. His leadership goes back to the first spy mission some 40+ years earlier. He is appointed by the Lord to succeed Moses, but it appears to start with a process. I also found it interesting that as the Lord appointed leaders from each family to help with the boundary assignment, the first guy on the list is Caleb who stood with Joshua after the first spy trip-the only two remaining leaders from the generation before.
I believe leadership hand-offs can go very smooth if ego and power are set aside. I believe Leaders don’t need titles to lead. I also don’t believe that every person with the title “leader” is in fact leading.
I see this transition time where Joshua is working closely with Moses as an intensive training ground on the day-to-day leadership. I see Joshua as having some natural qualities already in place.
When I come across a simple verse like this I’m challenged to take a good hard look at who I am as a leader in my family, in the church, in my business and any other areas where I’m asked or tasked with leading. I’m not afraid of leadership when I feel the Lord is leading me. My success as a leader is in direct proportion of my ability to follow Him first.
Pressing On!
Dwayne