The Strand Study Bible

EXODUS EXODUS the best example in the Bible of “a good leader in the making.” People are always going to follow someone or something – be it good (I Cor 11:1) or be it bad (Exo 23:2). Real leadership offers people something “good and right” to follow (II Thess 3:7-9). Leadership is not an office or a position, as defined in the dictionary. Real leadership has nothing to do with “being in charge.” It is not who you are; it is what you do. Stephen Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People notes: If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well and you will be ready to stop managing and start leading 1 Real leadership has nothing to do with controlling others, or longing after success. H.W. Crocker III in Robert E. Lee On Leadership notes: …a plaque on Ronald Reagan’s desk in the Oval Office read, that “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.” 2 Real leadership has nothing to do with who gets the credit, and everything to do with who’s going to lead by example. The following twenty principles concerning the life of Joshua are a summation of what good leadership entails: 1. A good leader always learns to be a good follower first (Exo 17:8-9) Calvin Miller The Empowered Leader notes: Only those who can obey (follow - my emphasis ) are worthy to mandate (lead - my emphasis ) 3 Good follow-ship will always set the right pattern for good leadership (Lk 2:51 and Jn 8:31). 2. A good leader learns to always go first before the people (Exo 17:10) A true leader never leads an army of people by bringing up the rear. Like a shepherd, a good leader must always be out in front… for sheep are never driven (Mt 4:19). 3. A good leader learns to face his setbacks and move forward (Exo 17:11) We should never fear failing; we should fear succeeding at things that matter little ( Josh 1:8b ). According to Jesus, we are here on earth to see others succeed, not ourselves ( Mt 22: 34- 39 and Lk 19:10). NOTE – There are four roadblocks that will cause us to fail others: 1. When we fail to dream (envision - Prov 29:18) because we fail to work (Eccl 5:1-3) Failure can be divided into: (1) those who thought and never did; and (2) those who did and never thought. 2. When we fail to change because we fail to realize that we can change (Isa 1:17) 3. When we fail to remain positive because we fail to stop pouting (Phil 4:4). THE ADAGE IS TRUE: In order to start winning we have got to stop whining 4. When we fail to keep going because we fail to get back up (Prov 24:16) Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who lost eighteen political elections, failed in business twice, and suffered a nervous breakdown, refused to listen to the “ failure ” messages and went on to note: You can’t finish what you don’t start. Thus, the best way to finish an unpleasant task is to get started. Finishing what you start takes dogged determination (you try holding your hands up over your head until the going down of the sun ). Thomas Edison (1847-1931) once said: The opportunity to lead is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. 6 NOTE – Life’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon (II Tim 4:7 and Lk 9:51) – you don’t always have to lead as long as you have the heart to come from behind. Donald Kendall, president of the Pepsi Cola Company, notes: The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. 7 5. A good leader learns to minister to others (Exo 24:12-13) President George Bush Senior noted: There is but one just use of power (leadership) and it is to serve people. 8 Mark DeMoss (son of Arthur S. DeMoss), president of The DeMoss Group, in The Little Red Book of Wisdom notes: After years of brushing up against all kinds of people in the public eye, I’ve learned that great leaders are first of all great servants–and that great service is modest, understated, in speech and action. Understatement is self-restraint, and self-restraint is hardly a sign of weakness. On the contrary, wisely used, few things carry more power. 9 Good leadership is nothing more than good servanthood (Mt 20:26-28). 6. A good leader learns to transfer truth (Exo 24:12-13) People do the right thing because they are taught the right thing (I Tim 3:2 and Mt 11:1). It’s called “learned” behavior. 7. A good leader learns to know people (Exo 32:15-19) P.T. Forsyth noted: 204 My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. 4 Unlike most people, Abraham Lincoln didn’t wait for his ship to come in; he swam out to it. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: If you want to do something, you’ll find a way; if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse (Lk 9:59-62 & 14:15-20) Henry Ford (1863-1947) noted, “Failure is never an obstacle, only an opportunity to begin again more intelligently” 5 (Prov 24:16). 4. A good leader learns to finish what he starts (Exo 17:12-13)