Deuteronomy.1:9-18
"The Appointment of Leaders"
In Moses' first great speech in Deuteronomy (chapter 1-3) he echoes God's call and heart for growth, advancement and increase for the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, by reviewing the nations history. Out of this emerge 9 verses where Moses reveals his heart and modus operandi in terms of governing the people and some interesting perspectives jump out at us. Below are some initial ones that may help shape our modern day journey of shepherding, leading and governing.
***“You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone”***
-Here Moses shows his trump card: his humility in leadership. Getting to the place where you know that the buck can no longer stop with you. Making sure that you are not the bottle-neck. Where you’ve allowed the role of a shepherd to have significant weight in your life (“burden”). If you haven't recognized your significant need for team, I'd suggest you havent embraced the significance of the "burden". The word “burden” used here not necessarily in the negative context. Moses is not saying it’s a burden he wants to give up, but he’s saying that it’s a burden too precious to him that he cannot do it alone.
***“The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky”***
-Understanding that growth and increase are the very fabric and essence of God’s character. It is not just a man made desire in leaders hearts. This is God’s heart! And he brings it about! Increase is a sovereign work of God, not man orchestrated (“...but God brings the growth”)
-Understanding the Abrahamic significance in this statement (“the stars in the sky” Genesis 15:5) Moses had a heart that understood the context in which he lead out of. He wasn’t an isolated leader. He wasn’t on his own mission. He was building in accordance with the prophetic promises that God had given the people of Israel. That’s what gave him confidence to lead not
out of sense of false bravado, but rather out of humility, because God had ordained this and further increase.
***“May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised”***
-The burden didn’t intimidate him to shrink back and resort to what was comfortable. Leadership is embracing growth and the “burdens” it brings as a blessing not a frustration. He allowed God to set the ceiling on the growth not their strategies or their present capacities or situations.
***“But how can I bear your burdens and your disputes all by myself?”***
-humble enough to admit to his capacity without letting that set the agenda or the limitation.
-Here Moses shows his trump card: his humility in leadership. Getting to the place where you know that the buck can no longer stop with you. Making sure that you are not the bottle-neck. Where you’ve allowed the role of a shepherd to have significant weight in your life (“burden”). If you haven't recognized your significant need for team, I'd suggest you havent embraced the significance of the "burden". The word “burden” used here not necessarily in the negative context. Moses is not saying it’s a burden he wants to give up, but he’s saying that it’s a burden too precious to him that he cannot do it alone.
***“The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky”***
-Understanding that growth and increase are the very fabric and essence of God’s character. It is not just a man made desire in leaders hearts. This is God’s heart! And he brings it about! Increase is a sovereign work of God, not man orchestrated (“...but God brings the growth”)
-Understanding the Abrahamic significance in this statement (“the stars in the sky” Genesis 15:5) Moses had a heart that understood the context in which he lead out of. He wasn’t an isolated leader. He wasn’t on his own mission. He was building in accordance with the prophetic promises that God had given the people of Israel. That’s what gave him confidence to lead not
out of sense of false bravado, but rather out of humility, because God had ordained this and further increase.
***“May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised”***
-The burden didn’t intimidate him to shrink back and resort to what was comfortable. Leadership is embracing growth and the “burdens” it brings as a blessing not a frustration. He allowed God to set the ceiling on the growth not their strategies or their present capacities or situations.
***“But how can I bear your burdens and your disputes all by myself?”***
-humble enough to admit to his capacity without letting that set the agenda or the limitation.
-Admitting to your need for team is not a sign of weakness but of strength.
***“Choose some wise, respected and understanding men from each of your tribes and I will set them over you”***
-choose burden bearers, not burden identifiers. Those who can tell you where there is a lack or a need in your leadership set-up are a dime a dozen. But what is needed are those who will carry and share the burden with you and not just merely point it out.
***“So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you- as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal
officers”***
Moses was a man who understood capacity. He was able to determine others capacities because he had been humble enough to determine and admit to his own. Determine your own capacity and that of those who share your burdens and it will hold off burnout, frustration and miscommunication when it comes to expectations.
***“Choose some wise, respected and understanding men from each of your tribes and I will set them over you”***
-choose burden bearers, not burden identifiers. Those who can tell you where there is a lack or a need in your leadership set-up are a dime a dozen. But what is needed are those who will carry and share the burden with you and not just merely point it out.
***“So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you- as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal
officers”***
Moses was a man who understood capacity. He was able to determine others capacities because he had been humble enough to determine and admit to his own. Determine your own capacity and that of those who share your burdens and it will hold off burnout, frustration and miscommunication when it comes to expectations.
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