We Are With You All The Way

June 12th, 2020

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.' "
. . . Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. . . . Only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.
Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!" Joshua 1:10-18

Leadership is a great privilege. It involves helping people to discover their potential and even their destiny. It involves constantly bettering yourself as a leader so you can help better the lives of others. Good leadership is visionary because one must be able to take the community to a better-desired future -- a future that must be clearly painted to enlist the support of the led community.

Leadership can be exciting and rewarding as the leader sees visible progress in the lives of people. There is no better feeling than seeing those under your leadership prosper and succeed. But there is also the reality of the challenges one has to deal with as a leader: Leadership is never an easy task. It can be frustrating and extremely draining. It can be a rather thankless way of life when those who have prospered and benefited under one's leadership turn against the leaders and the vision and become adversaries instead of advocates of the vision.

Leaders are not faultless but an honest and godly leader must be encouraged and vigorously supported for the betterment of the community. Followers must not be boot-lickers who jump at every whim and caprice of the leader. But rebellion and a feisty spirit of opposition is detrimental to the well-being of the led community. That is why selfish rebellion and opposition to leadership becomes very destructive. Sometimes such adversarial stances are taken purely out of a hunger for power by others.

The words of the Israelites to Joshua were very encouraging: "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go . . . whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your word . . . will be put to death, only be strong and courageous." The Israelites understood the challenges of leadership and the detrimental effects of rebellion and disunity so they encouraged Joshua and pledged their unflinching support to him. They assured him that they were with him all the way, knowing that the LORD was with him. Are you supportive and understanding of leadership? Can you be counted upon all the way?

Prayer: Father, I thank you for the leadership you have set over me. Please help me to be supportive of them so we can all advance the vision you have entrusted to us. Amen