Devotional on Proverbs

2006 – Surfside Beach, TX (one of my all-time favorite pics)

God and me
Proverbs 11: The more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
Western culture exalts the individual. In the words of the song, “best of all, I did it my way.” We like our independence. It’s true even in our religion. We Protestants don’t have a pope and we don’t even want the church to tell us what to believe. Instead, we prefer “us and God” — an approach that can often be more truthfully stated, “Me.” We don’t have a pope, but when weā€™re honest with ourselves, we like it when we can be our own pope: “I’ll get my Bible and decide for myself what it says.” Now, I know that there are some positive aspects to this. After all, the “protestors” who became the “Protestants” did have something to protest about. Still, doing religion “my way” isnā€™t necessarily an improvement. Doing it “my way” leads to aberrations of doctrine. Walking down the “me” road isn’t the road to God. In fact, itā€™s the original path away from God thatā€™s described in the opening pages of our Bibles. Learning to listen to others and even being willing to submit to the authority of those who the larger body of believers has recognized to be uniquely prepared and gifted to lead will, in the words of the proverb “better your chances” of staying on the right road to God.
Take Away: ā€œMe and Godā€ quite often is really just ā€œme.ā€

Devotional on Proverbs

2004 – Big Island, Hawaii

Follow the leader
Proverbs 14: The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.
There’s no such thing as a leader without followers. The Bible has several stories of leadership. Moses led for 40 years. David led not only in military and affairs of government but in worship as well. His son Solomon led to prosperity. Here are three things that come to mind when I read about these leaders. First, each of these men is not only a leader, but is also a follower who accepts the authority of the Lord and spends time with him getting his marching orders. Second, these men know how to share leadership and to train leaders. They don’t try to do everything themselves and surround themselves with capable people to help carry the leadership load. Third, they lead people to meaningful goals. These men have God given visions that gives their leadership real purpose. People believe in them and they believe the goal set out for them is worth their sacrifice. Leaders such as these have no problem attracting followers.
Take Away: God-called leaders lead with purpose in a God-chosen direction.

Devotional on Proverbs

2004 – Big Island, Hawaii

Leadership, not dictatorship
Proverbs 16: A good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.
Solomon knows a lot about leadership. Heā€™s watched his father, David, lead Israel for many years. Then when he becomes King he asks God for wisdom that he might lead His people. In all this he comes to understand leadership dynamics as well as anyone who ever lived. In the passage before me today I get just a taste of his philosophy of leadership. The guy who says these things isnā€™t some pastor with an all-volunteer staff of church people who might just walk off if they donā€™t like the way things are going. Rather, heā€™s King of Israel. He has “off with their heads” authority. In other words, if he wants he can order the direction and everyone has to follow. However, Solomon has learned that dictatorship isnā€™t leadership. He says his job is to motivate people to move together in positive directions. He says he isn’t supposed to promise what can’t be delivered and he isn’t to get people to do what he wants just to get something for himself. Honesty, unselfishness, persuasiveness — these are leadership qualities Solomon brings to my attention today.
Take Away: Dictatorship isnā€™t leadership.

Devotional on Proverbs

2003 – Cripple Creek, CO
Running out of wood can be a good thing
Proverbs 26: When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down.
As a pastor I have a pretty strong influence on what happens at church. There is, I suppose, always the chance that someone will attempt to take control of a church service but that’s unlikely. I have the main say concerning the order of worship and, of course, what is said in the sermon. However, what happens “out there” during the week is out of my control. Because of that, all the efforts on Sunday to create a loving, supportive family of God can be derailed if that same crowd spends the week fanning the flames of division. Knowing this is humbling to me and it reminds me that Iā€™m not nearly as influential in my own church as I think I am. However, it also reminds me that my greatest resource is not my leadership ability. Instead, my greatest Resource is the One I serve. Itā€™s my desire that the Lord will help me to love people even when theyā€™re behaving in ways that cause pain. I want to personally set an example of how a sanctified Christian conducts himself, to help people who tend to gossip understand that thereā€™s an underlying spiritual issue, and to pray that the Lord will exhaust their supply of “wood” sooner and not later that the church might be united in love for Christ and one another.
Take Away: Some issues will simply die out and go away if we stop fanning the flames.

Devotional on Jeremiah

2009 – Ketchikan, AK

Pastoral responsibilities
Jeremiah 23: You’ve scattered my sheep…you haven’t kept your eye on them.
This passage is clergy oriented so pastor types like me need to sit up and take notice. The Lordā€™s displeased with the spiritual leaders of Jeremiah’s day. He pictures them as shepherds who are given the responsibility of caring for the Lordā€™s flock. These leaders are entrusted with the spiritual welfare of God’s flock but theyā€™re betraying that confidence. Instead of loving the flock, leading and caring for it, they’re taking advantage of things for personal gain. In some cases they’re actually harming those theyā€™re supposed to protect. Otherwise, they’re neglecting them or even driving them away. Godā€™s disappointed in these leaders and is angry with them. Sometimes I think that church people are too pastor oriented, giving way too much authority to the pastor, including letting the pastor do their thinking for them (or, standing on the sidelines and cheering as the pastor works him/herself to death – but that’s a subject for another day!). Today, I’m reminded that there’s a strong biblical foundation that supports some having spiritual leadership. The Lord has wired us in such a way that we look to some as “shepherds” acting as God’s representatives. These leaders are to be servants who put the interests of those entrusted to their care before their own needs. In this passage Jeremiah reminds me that as a pastor I’ve been honored with the position of leadership, but with that position has come accountability, not just to the congregation I serve, but to the Lord, himself.
Take Away: Church leaders are to be good shepherds of the flock of the Lord.

Devotional on Jeremiah

2009 – Endicott Arm, AK

Quality leadership
Jeremiah 23: This is the name they’ll give him: “God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right.”
The religious leaders are a disappointment to God. They could have done a better job; treated people the way good and dedicated shepherds treat the sheep under their care. They haven’t done that and the Lordā€™s not only angry with them but he has another approach in mind. This plan will provide quality leadership to his people. David is considered the prototype king for Israel and the coming Leader will be cut from the same cloth as was David. Heā€™ll be a descendant of David. Heā€™ll also be strong, wise, and dedicated to God. That kind of man will take care of God’s people. In Jeremiah’s future and in my past that Leader makes his appearance. He does everything Jeremiah says he will. Heā€™s a righteous man of justice and he goes to work fixing all that sin has broken. Heā€™s worthy of the name Jeremiah gives him: “God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right.” The process started by this Leader isnā€™t yet complete, but we already see that everything he touches is changed for the better. Well, better put, “everyone he touches.” In fact, I can say that I not only believe in this Leader’s ability to transform lives — my own life is an example of his work. I’m not all I’m going to be, but by his grace, I’m not what I would have been.
Take Away: In Christ we find restoration and transformation.

Devotional on Jeremiah

2009 – Dawes Glacier, AK

Three cheers for Ahikam
Jeremiah 26: Ahikam son of Shaphan stepped forward and took his side.
Allā€™s not well at the Temple. God’s man, Jeremiah, already has a reputation for preaching gloom and doom messages and heā€™s at it again. This time he disrupts events at the Temple by telling the worshipers there that the Lordā€™s going to destroy both the Temple and them. It’s an understatement to say that they don’t like it. Jeremiah finds himself the center of a riot. Soon officials show up and they conduct court right on the spot. Simply put, Jeremiahā€™s life isn’t worth a nickel. Itā€™s then that a respected man, Ahikam son of Shaphan, steps up. He reminds the people of another gloom and doom prophet, Micah, who during the reign of Hezekiah preached such messages. He also had many enemies but he wasn’t killed. It’s not that theyā€™re above that sort of thing. Another prophet, Uriah, was hunted down and murdered because people didn’t like his message. On this day, though, Ahikam’s defense wins Jeremiah his freedom. Ahikam is an important man and on this day he brings his considerable weight to bear to save Jeremiah’s life. His stepping in isnā€™t likely the prudent thing to do, after all this is a mob we’re talking about. However, he has power and he uses it to do the right thing whether or not itā€™s popular to do so. Sometimes we have to spend some of our leadership simply because it’s the right thing to do. Position and authority are just fine, but only if they’re used for the right purposes. I’m not an important person like Ahikam, but I do have some influence in some limited circumstances. Am I spending it on things that really matter?
Take Away: Position and authority and leadership skills are to be used in positive ways ā€“ not just to get our own way about things.

Devotional on Daniel

2011 – In the Cotswolds, UK – thatched roof

The Nebuchadnezzar school of leadership
Daniel 3: Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown…into a…furnace.
Any pollster will agree that an opinion freely given is more valuable than one that starts with, “If you don’t say this I’ll kill you.” One response of Nebuchadnezzar to his dream is to build a statue of himself and then command everyone to worship it. Can’t you imagine him watching this show and commenting, “See how they love me!” The truth of the matter is that there’s a lot more self-preservation than love going on in that event. This is leadership at its worst. A boss who says, “Do it or I’ll fire you” or a parent who says, “Do it or I’ll whip you” or a pastor who says, “Do it or God will get you” is a graduate of Nebuchadnezzar’s school of leadership. In this case, what the king wants is wrong in the first place, but even if what he wanted people to do was clearly the right thing he’s going about it in the wrong way. Real leaders lead by vision and example. People follow because they’ve made that vision their own and believe that the leader is the person who can help them get there. Jesus doesn’t say, “Follow me or you’re going to hell.” Instead, he says, “Follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men.”
Take Away: Real leaders lead by vision and example.

Devotional on Daniel

2011 – Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France

At least they know what Daniel stands for
Daniel 6: We’re never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious.
At the end of chapter five we find a simple statement that Darius the Mede is made king. Apparently, there’s a lot of history loaded into that statement. The handwriting on the wall informed the now dead Belshazzar that his kingdom was going to be handed over to the “Medes and Persians,” a confederacy that rose to challenge the power of Babylonia. Apparently, there’s a lot of historical push and shove concerning all that happened in that takeover. Daniel spares us all that, barely mentioning his own rise to authority in the reorganized kingdom, now under the rule of Darius. This king recognizes leadership capability when he sees it and makes Daniel, first, one of his three vice-regents, and then moves to make Daniel the man in charge. Of course, there are those who oppose this elevation of Daniel and they scramble to find some way to discredit him. When they can’t come up with anything bad about him they focus in on his religion. They conclude that his devotion to his God is his weakest point and decide to attack there. I know it isn’t intended, but what a compliment to Daniel! After living among the Babylonians for many years he’s still known for his devotion to the Lord. It all started many years earlier when he decided to keep the dietary laws of his religion. Now, we see him untouched by the pagan culture. Things are about to get dicey for Daniel, but for now, he can say “thanks” to his enemies for the compliment.
Take Away: Live in such a way even our enemies recognize our devotion and commitment to the Lord.

Devotional on Mark

2014 – Dead Horse Point State Park, UT

Me first

Mark 10: He came to serve, not to be served.

Jesus begins his march to the cross. As he and his disciples begin their journey to Jerusalem he tells them whatā€™s coming, the bad and the good. When James and John ask for favored positions in his kingdom, Jesus tells them that they donā€™t know what they’re asking. Very soon, being on his right and left wonā€™t be very desirable places to be. He again directs them down the servant path as the route to greatness. Being the slave of others is the Christian route to leadership and Jesus is about to demonstrate that in a most unexpected way. Heā€™s going to die, not only that we might be set free from the death penalty, but so that we might learn from him to, ourselves, die. This lesson isnā€™t only hard to learn, itā€™s also unwelcome. Most of us live our lives trying to get things our own way. When we somehow achieve position one of the perks is that we can now call the shots to suit ourselves. It is human nature to view everything from the ā€œmeā€ point of view. Jesus turns this self-centered world upside down. He says that in his Kingdom, those in power serve with the needs of others uppermost in their minds. Frankly, after 2000 years youā€™d think Christians would have a better grasp on this. Frankly, after being a Christian most of my life, Iā€™d think Iā€™d have a better grasp on it.

Take Away: Jesus gave his all to, in part, show us how to give our all.

Devotional on Acts

2014 – Mt Rainier National Park

Pastors and their congregations

Acts 6: Choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts.

One of the growth pains of the infant church has to do with the distribution of resources among the churchā€™s own needy. Some women, apparently due to a language barrier, arenā€™t getting a fair share of the food the church is providing. The disciples realize that this is an important concern and willingly share the leadership responsibilities with seven non-apostles. The result is that the disciples are able to focus on their role in the church while sharing some responsibilities with those who have gifts for that purpose. The needs of the people are met and the church continues to advance. As a pastor Iā€™ve read this account again and again trying to understand it in light of the current pastor/congregation scheme thatā€™s generally in place. Iā€™ve tried to translate it into the 21st century average Protestant church with an average attendance of 70 to 100. On one hand, I realize that the church of Acts now numbers in the thousands. Even if the disciples try to handle it all it simply canā€™t be. The question that comes to mind is, is that the only reason for the addition of non-clergy leadership? I think that a lot of church people think so. In their smaller situations theyā€™re very pastor-centric. They want the pastor to be the one who visits them when theyā€™re sick and who makes regular nursing home visits. They expect the pastor to attend every committee meeting and to pray every public prayer. Then, if the church grows, theyā€™ll take care of things by hiring an assistant pastor. I canā€™t help but think this is mistaken because I have the idea that the division of leadership in the Acts church isnā€™t all about size and work load. Rather, I believe the leadership and ministry opportunities need to be shared because itā€™s healthier for the church. Had the disciples been perfectly capable of caring for the widows while handling the preaching and teaching responsibilities, I still think they would have done, under the Spiritā€™s leadership, just what they did. Some church people need to find a place of ministry and plug in, not always looking to the pastor to do it all. Some pastors need to quit hogging all the ministry opportunities and give others a chance.

Take Away: The Lord didnā€™t come to be served, but to serve and we arenā€™t his followers unless we follow him into lives of service of others.

Devotional on Acts

2014 – Mt Rainier National Park

Taking care of Godā€™s people

Acts 20: Godā€™s people they are…God himself thought they were worth dying for.

As did Jesus several years earlier, now Paul ā€œsets his face toward Jerusalemā€ knowing that his arrival there will result in hardship. To speed his journey the Apostle doesnā€™t go back into Ephesus but, instead, sends word to the church leaders to meet him in Miletus, located about fifty miles south of Ephesus. Here he has an emotional meeting with his dear friends and co-workers. He charges them to guard and protect Godā€™s people in Ephesus, reminding them that ā€œGod himself thought they were worth dying for.ā€ Even as this great Apostle is going to go through trials so will this great church. As I study this passage I canā€™t help but think of the role of the ministry. Paul, I see, isnā€™t worried about the organization and program of the church. He doesnā€™t urge the leaders to focus on current worship trends or new technology. Rather, he reminds them that theyā€™re to guard and protect the ā€œsheepā€ placed under their watch care. Theyā€™re to value Godā€™s people as God, himself, values them. Happily, Paul has good news for these leaders of Ephesus and for church leaders across the ages. He tells them that God ā€œcan make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.ā€ The work of the ministry includes guarding and protecting Godā€™s people from false teaching. The power for accomplishing that task comes from a gracious God who works in our lives, giving us everything we need to successfully do the work to which weā€™re called.

Take Away: The Lord not only calls people to spiritual leadership, he also empowers them for that task.

Devotional on 1 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR – in the fog

Worship service or a wrestling match?

1Corinthians 14: When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared….

Attending a church service at Corinth must be quite an experience. Some people are involved in a civil lawsuit against each other. Thereā€™s blatant immorality and the church has divided between the ā€œitā€™s no big dealā€ crowd and the ā€œitā€™s sinā€ crowd. Communion has been turned into a potluck and thereā€™s competition, not over who makes the best apple pie, but who gets to eat the most. Now, we see that people are fighting over gets to be ā€œfeaturedā€ in the worship services. One person starts praying, maybe in a prayer language, only to be shouted down by someone else who tries to pray better. One person has a ā€œmessage from Godā€ but is shouldered out of the way by someone being more spiritual about their ā€œmessage from God.ā€ The whole thing, in Paulā€™s eyes, is infantile. The Apostle tries to walk a tightrope about it all. On one hand, he likes the idea that theyā€™re excited about having the Holy Spirit work in and through them. On the other hand, this disorganized, competition-filled approach to worship has to go. Paul lays down some rules intended to calm things down. When heā€™s finished, their Spirit-language praying is, for practical purposes, removed from their worship services. He also rules out this business of talking over the top of one another with their competing ā€œwords from the Lord.ā€ He tells them to get organized and to come prepared rather than making up their worship service as it goes along. Singers, teachers, and preachers are supposed to come ready to do their part. Basically, he calls them to intentional, prepared, humble, courteous, organized worship. If a person canā€™t handle that, they probably shouldnā€™t be up front in the first place.

Take Away: We want Spirit-filled worship but an indication of that isnā€™t people competing to be the most spiritual.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Pacific City, OR

Tearstained letters

2Corinthians 7: I know I distressed you greatly with my letter.

The book of 1 Corinthians is almost painful to read. Itā€™s clear the there are some sick situations there and that this church is far from being a healthy congregation. The Corinthian church isnā€™t a prototype of what a Christian church is supposed to look like, although how Paul deals with them is a primer on how a spiritual leader is to deal with a difficult church situation. An insight in this passage is that as Paul writes to Corinth he knows the impact his words will have on the church. Beyond that, his words impact him as well. Administrating this strong medicine is painful for Paul too. The old ā€œthis hurts me more than it hurts youā€ line is literally true in this situation. Paul gets no pleasure in writing to his friends at Corinth as he does. Heā€™s frustrated with them and somewhat fearful for them. Still, he expects his strong medicine to bring about, in the long run, good results. Sometimes parents have to be disciplinarians. It would be nice to always feel warm and fuzzy about things but to do so isnā€™t what real love is like. In his first letter Paul steps up to the plate, telling them the facts of spiritual life even though, in his words, ā€œI felt awful at the time.ā€ Sometimes preachers have to be disciplinarians. As it is for Paul and as it is for parents, proper discipline should never carry with it a sense of pleasure in causing pain. I imagine tearstains on the parchment that contains what we think of as 1 Corinthians. In the same way, there should be tearstains on the sermon notes of a pastor who preaches a sermon that will cause some pain. Otherwise, that sermon should never be preached.

Take Away: Sometimes discipline must be done but it should never be done with pleasure.

Devotional on Philippians

2014 – dunes south of Florence, OR

Watching others preach the gospel

Philippians 1: Iā€™ve decided that I really donā€™t care about their motives.

The first one out there, traveling from city to city preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ was Paul. Heā€™s already a living legend among the Christians. For over twenty years heā€™s been faithful through thick and thin, through good days and bad. Actually, he doesnā€™t label ā€œgood and badā€ as most people do. Right now heā€™s in jail and youā€™d think heā€™d call that ā€œbad.ā€ Instead, he happily explains that his being locked up has resulted in a lot of good things. People who wouldnā€™t have heard the gospel otherwise have literally come to him asking him to tell them about Jesus. Others, who’ve been timid about their faith before have been inspired by his faithfulness and have stepped forward to tell others about the Lord. A few have mistakenly concluded that with Paul locked up thereā€™s a leadership void and are trying to fill his shoes, preaching about the Lord in hopes of gaining a leadership foothold in the church. That last group causes the great Apostle to reflect a bit on what itā€™s all about. Obviously, he doesnā€™t want false teachers out there preaching a false gospel. However, these folks, heā€™s concluded, are on target with their preaching and are only off target with their ambitions. Paulā€™s conclusion is that that stuff doesnā€™t matter as long as the gospel’s being preached. I canā€™t help but be impressed by Paulā€™s mature, focused attitude here. Heā€™s willing to give up his freedom and his reputation if it serves to advance the cause of Christ. Iā€™m reminded today that the Lord can accomplish great things through a person who doesnā€™t necessarily need to get the credit for what’s done.

Take Away: We do our best, leaving the results in the hands of the Lord.

Devotional on 1 Timothy

2014 – Redwoods National Park, CA

Money matters

1Timothy 6: A devout life does bring wealth, but itā€™s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.

The final chapter of this first letter to young pastor Timothy is about money. Paul’s concerned about church leaders who see their position as a way to make some easy money. Timothy’s warned to identify such people as quickly as possible to keep them from infecting the whole church with their ā€œgerms of envy, controversyā€¦ā€ and other equally bad stuff. Timothy, himself, as a man of God, is to pursue, not money, but ā€œwonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.ā€ Finally, Paul addresses how Timothy’s to deal with those who are already wealthy. Heā€™s to warn them to not be money centered but, instead, to handle their riches in the same way the Lord handles his: with extravagant generosity, helping others out of their bounty. Even though this is a short course on the topic of money and the church we find here a well-rounded treatment of the subject. First, watch out for church leaders who are in it for the money. Second, the pastor must be careful to not get caught up on the pursuit of money. Finally, those who do have money are to handle it with care, letting the generosity of the Lord, himself, be their example.

Take Away: Money doesnā€™t have to be a curse ā€“ rather it can be a way in which we reflect the generosity of the Lord.

Devotional on Titus

2014 – Redwoods National Park, CA

Work orders

Titus 1: I left you in charge in Crete so you could complete what I left half-done.

As I read Paulā€™s letters and the account of his journeys in the book of Acts I keep running into Titus and while Iā€™m not given a complete biography of him, I pick up bits and pieces of his story along the way. Heā€™s a Gentile, converted under Paulā€™s ministry. He joins Paul in his travels and assists the Apostle in various ways. The occasion of this letter is one example. Apparently, Paul spends some time on the island of Crete but for some reason has to leave before the work there is complete. He leaves Titus there to finish up, specifically, to appoint church leaders there. Now, Paul’s writing to Titus with some specific instructions for the completion of his task there. Again, while I donā€™t know all about Titus, I find enough information about him to cause me to think highly of him, as, obviously, Paul does. In this letter, Paul’s quick to get to the matter at hand. He wants Titus to put pastoral leadership in place in the Christian congregations on the island and he wants him to be careful in his selection of leaders. He wants people who are respected in the community, family men who are even tempered, welcoming to strangers, wise, fair, and reverent. An interesting qualification is that these leaders are to have a good grip on themselves and on the Good News of the Gospel. Understanding the gospel makes sense and so does having a good grip on self. Leaders need to be comfortable in their own skin. Obviously leaders need humility, but they also need a level of confidence. They need to know their strengths and weaknesses and be ready to entrust others to help shoulder the burden especially related to those weaknesses. Off Titus goes with his ā€œshopping listā€ in hand, ready to pick people God has already picked and prepared for the task. Any church looking for a pastor will benefit from digesting this passage.

Take Away: The Lord uses a wide variety of people for his work, but some characteristics are to be found in them all.

Devotional on Titus

2014 – Redwoods National Park, CA

Being the leader God calls one to be

Titus 2: Youā€™re in charge. Donā€™t let anyone put you down.

Here in Crete Titus is operating in new territory. Heā€™s been part of Paulā€™s team, traveling from place to place. Sometimes heā€™s gone out on special assignment, delivering a message or the like, but still operating under Paulā€™s wing. Now, though, things are different. Yes, heā€™s been appointed by Paul to this task, but, by and large heā€™s on his own. The Apostle reminds him of what heā€™s supposed to do, but this time, itā€™s Titus, by himself, meeting with congregations and organizing their leadership. It may be that Paul knows Titus well enough to know that heā€™s going to struggle a bit with this assignment. Even as he spells out Titusā€™ responsibilities Paul makes it a point to tell him that heā€™s in charge and as he meets with these budding congregations he needs to be ready to stand his ground concerning the kind of leaders they need and the kind of people theyā€™re supposed to be. Here, again, I find myself considering a leadership principle. Humbleness is critical if one is to be the servant-leader Christian leaders are called to be. At the same time though, if one has been called to and granted authority for leadership by the Lord, that individual needs to have a firm grasp on that leadership. Most everyone recognizes God-called leadership. The thing is that while most recognize and appreciate it, a few are threatened by it and will challenge or manipulate it if they think they can get away with it. A Christian leader must recognize this and be ready to stand firm in his or her calling in a Christ-like manner.

Take Away: Christian leaders are servant-leaders, but they do carry with them a sense of authority.

Devotional on Exodus

2014 – Arches National Park, Utah

Having a Moses Complex
Exodus 18: This is no way to go about it. Youā€™ll burn outā€¦you canā€™t do this alone.
Moses is overwhelmed by his responsibilities yet he presses on. From morning to night he deals with the issues of leadership as this nation of former slaves struggles with issues of personal responsibility. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, visits and sees whatā€™s happening. Moses needs to get organized by surrounding himself with capable assistants. That will be best for him, for the people of God, and even for the leaders he enlists. To do otherwise is to invite disaster because Moses does have a job to do and if he burns himself out trying to do everything he’ll end up doing nothing. Moses accepts the word of wisdom from Jethro and surrounds himself with competent, God-fearing, loyal people. I think we pastors sometimes have a ā€œMoses complex.ā€ It isnā€™t entirely our fault. The ā€œhigher-upsā€ are very pastor focused and our lay people will cheer us right into the grave as we try to do it all. Weā€™re wise to spend some time listening to old Jethro and begin handing some things off to good people who are likely more gifted in specific areas than we are anyway. That will free them up to do what God gifted them to do and it will also let us focus our energy doing what weā€™re called to do in the first place.
Take Away: Leadership doesnā€™t mean doing everything.

Devotional on Exodus

2014 – Dead Horse Point State Park, UT

A lesson on leadership
Exodus 32: Moses said to Aaron, ā€œWhat on Earth did these people ever do to you that you involved them in this huge sin?ā€ Aaron said, ā€œMaster, donā€™t be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are.ā€
Aaron is left in charge while Moses is up on the mountain meeting with God. Just as the Lord said, thereā€™s an idol-centered orgy going on. Moses demands an explanation from his brother who responds that these people are just bad people and thereā€™s nothing he can do. Aaron is supposed to be the leader here, but heā€™s a spectacular failure. Leaders must have vision and be skilled in organizing and persuading people to work toward the fulfillment of that vision. Aaronā€™s view of leadership is to help the people do what they want to do already. His excuse to Moses is, ā€œthatā€™s just how these people are.ā€ His error is huge and because of it he fails his people, Moses, and God. Genuine leaders donā€™t wring their hands as people do the wrong thing. Neither is it testing the political winds and ā€œleadingā€ the people to do what they already want to do, right or wrong. In fact, leadership can be lonely and occasionally it is practically suicidal. Aaron should have stood for Godā€™s way even if it meant that the people just ran over him to do what they wanted in the first place. Moses understands leadership. He takes a position away from the goings on and calls for those who are on Godā€™s side to join him. Heā€™s going to make things right no matter what the cost. Thatā€™s leadership.
Take Away: Leadership is more than helping people do what they would do anyway.