You aren’t second-in-command forever: a reminder for leaders
By Dean Collins
No matter how good you think you are as a leader it’s best to remember a couple of very important truths from Scripture. First, you are never anything higher than second-in-command. And second, you aren’t second-in-command forever.
In a moment of desperation, weakness, pride or possibly rebellion you may have used one or more of these lines:
“I’m the boss.”
“I’m the parent here.”
“I’m the chairman.“
“I’m the pastor. “
“I’m the one with authority. “
I wasn’t there when you thought it or said it, and I realize you might have spoken the words because someone you led had overstepped their authority. So I’m not judging. But while we’re both calm, we should probably review our authority and leadership style and even start good succession planning.
Hesitant, then legendary
We know Moses accepted his shepherding role of God’s chosen with hesitation. The best leaders should always approach leadership that way. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins, who studied the CEOs of the best companies in the country, said personal humility was one of the key traits the best leaders possessed. It’s normal and healthy to understand there really are others more intelligent, resourceful, charismatic, and good-looking than you. God can do a lot with the person who acknowledges, “There is so much more I can learn.”
Moses grew to be a legendary leader with a tough assignment, and he served a long time as a shepherd of God’s people. But eventually, it was time for his successor. And one reason stated in Numbers 27:17 was God didn’t want to leave the sheep without a shepherd. There always needs to be a leader for the family, the church, the board, the company, for any organization or community.
Our part, and God’s
Moses had the advantage that God chose his successor. Moses wasn’t responsible for the sourcing, the evaluation of the resumes, the interview process, or the ultimate selection. God did the hard part. Moses was simply to do the commissioning. It’s probably best for all of us to consider that God is always ahead of us, preparing the next woman or man who will lead in our absence. He does a much better job of preparing the hearts and minds of leaders than we could ever do. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore leadership development. Rather we should seek to implement God’s model to the best of our ability.
God had clearly watched Joshua develop through the wilderness experience. When it came time to appoint a new shepherd, God chose “a man in whom the Spirit“ was clearly visible. God didn’t simply select someone who thought they should be in charge. He chose someone who demonstrated the right heart, whose humility and commitment to God’s heart demonstrated the presence of God’s Spirit in their life. If we have any responsibility in the selection process for leaders, we always do well to start where God started.
Responsibilities relinquished, and kept
Moses was charged with acknowledging the selection in front of the people and relinquishing some of his authority to Joshua. Moses was not asked to give Joshua all of his authority. It was neither time for that nor ultimately Moses’s decision to make. It would seem that good succession planning involves expanding one’s leadership roles and responsibilities ahead of the final selection. Which means those of us who parent, manage, and lead should always be thinking about what authority we can let go of so that another’s leadership ability might grow.
I assume God still has a job for you to do. That job may, in fact, be still leading someone and something. But today is probably a good day to begin praying and planning for the one God wants you to help prepare for some future leadership role, maybe even yours!
Your time with God’s Word
Numbers 27:15-23 ESV
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