Good Leadership

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.  Exodus 17:10-13

I’ve read and heard this several times before, bit never caught the context.  I get the picture of Moses raining his arms with the help of Aaron and Hur.  I get that when his hands lowered, the Israelites lost; when they were raised he won. 

I wonder what was going through Moses mind.  What was he thinking?  How was he feeling.  My guess is that he was.  . .

1. In some pain.  You don’t hold your arms over your head for very long until you get hurting.  Even with the help of some friends.
2. Passion.  Not for the war.  Not for the win.  Passion for the people and for the cause.  Moses was not on a spiritual high.  He wasn’t thinking “these people respect me as leader and love me and I am here to protect them.”  Earlier they were grumbling against Moses and he feared they would kill him.  Here he is now fighting for their lives.  Was he tempted to drop his arms to get back at them?  I would have been.

A good leader sees the big picture.  A good leader is not clouded by the actions and immaturity of his followers. I good leader pushes through to the cause and heart of God.  His leadership does not rise and fall on his approval rating.  He chases God and leads with humble and passionate love, regardless of the return.

God, may I move like Moses.  May I love like Jesus.

[tags]devotions, life-journaling, Moses, Exodus, Bible [/tags]