2023_04_17 Insight Post- Kim Feld

If you are following our Bible reading plan closely, you know we are currently reading about God’s covenant law given through Moses.  I greatly admire Moses’ leadership abilities and the journey of personal growth that God has taken him through. Moses is far from perfect, but he possesses purpose, passion, and teachability. These are great qualities for anyone, but especially for leaders. When these three qualities are in place and exist under the authority of Jesus, they provide a robust framework for good and change in our world. But just like anything created for good, they can be misused and distorted.

Just because a leader has a purpose doesn’t necessarily mean it aligns with God’s. My purpose as a leader could be to elevate myself and what I want. If our sense of purpose is not in line with God’s, we create our own agenda that is often far from what He desires. God created each of us with a purpose; we were made to be part of His story of redemption for the world.

Passion is an interesting word with a variety of meanings. It comes from the Latin word patior, which means to suffer or endure. This is why Jesus’ arrest, trial, and ultimate crucifixion are called The Passion of Christ. Passion can also mean an intense devotion to something. Moses was devoted to God and his fellow Israelites. We see Moses place himself squarely with Israel repeatedly as he intercedes on their behalf, pleading with God to forgive them and allow His presence to continue to guide them. Exodus provides a picture of passion, or devotion, that once swayed from God leads to idolatry. For leaders, misplaced passion can pull our allegiance from God to ourselves. When this happens, I am most devoted to what’s best for me, not what furthers God’s plans and kingdom.

Moses is also a picture of teachability. When God first called him from the burning bush, he felt inadequate. Moses made mistakes as a leader. But he allowed God to teach him, shaping and molding him into the kind of leader Israel needed. To be teachable, we must have humility. A leader who is unwilling to listen to wise counsel and admit when they make a mistake is unteachable and arrogant. Stop for a minute and do a little self-test with me. How do you react when someone challenges you or a decision you’ve made? Be honest. What’s your first response? My go-to is to be defensive. I’m strong-willed, and I don’t like to be wrong. But scripture tells me that God opposes the proud; His desire is that I allow Him to teach me His ways with a willingness to follow. Often, He uses other people to teach us. The relationships we have with others are directly related to the relationship we have with God. He is ALWAYS investing in us, guiding us, and growing us through His word, circumstances, and relationships. My value is not in how much I’m right; I’m valuable because I’m His daughter, and because of that, I can let go of shame when I make a mistake. I’m grateful for His faithfulness and patience with me and that He is using all things for my good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT)