Election day, Tuesday, November 8th, is only fifty-seven days away. We’ll elect a new President of the United States, as well as U. S. Congressmen, Senators and a host of other offices in our states and communities. One of the blessings of living in the U.S. is we get to choose who leads us every four years, or two years, or six years for some offices. It behooves us to pay attention and do our due diligence in choosing those leaders because they will set the direction of our nation for the next four years, and direction matters. In the case of the next President of the United States, there is one vacant seat on the U. S. Supreme Court that he/she will fill, and the likely hood of as many of three more vacancies just in the next term. Those selections will influence the nation for the next generation.
We talk of faith and politics and our minds naturally turn to our political landscape. Ours is a most unique situation in world governance, and for that we are most grateful. But politics goes well beyond the civil government in which we live. Anywhere there are people involved, it involves politics—school, work, civic organizations, church. Church? Yes! You didn’t know there were politics in church? Politics surround us, and leaders surround us. Choosing leaders wisely is necessary in every realm of life, and the purpose of today’s message is to help us discover ways to choose those leaders wisely.
Another preface is also needed. With few exceptions, we’re all leaders. We lead our business, we lead our class, we lead our church, we lead in some level of civic organization, we lead our sports team, we lead a Sunday school class, we lead our family. As we explore the advice Jethro gave to his son-in-law, Moses, let’s listen to the characteristics and measure, not just those we are choosing to lead us in the civic realm or church realm, but also whether we are living into these traits ourselves as we lead in whatever realm we lead. It’s important because, as leadership guru John Maxwell says, everything rises or falls on leadership. It might be especially true this election cycle. The traits I note from Jethro’s advice are: humility, capability, responsibility and accountability.
As I read through Exodus 18: 13 – 27, I see four traits of strong, godly leadership as Jethro counsels Moses in his leadership of the nation of Israel. To set the context of Jethro’s conversation, it’s been just over a month since Moses led the people out of Egyptian bondage and Pharaoh’s oppression. In that time, they’ve seen God deliver them through the Red Sea, provide water from a rock and God is feeding them daily with manna and quail. They’ve also just won a military victory over a people group called the Amalekites. Jethro gets word of all God has done for Moses and the people, so he takes Moses’ wife and two sons, loads up and prepares to take them back to Moses. At some point before going down to Egypt, Moses had sent them to live with Jethro while he went off to do God’s work. Jethro arrives, they catch up on all the events since they were last together and had a party and a worship service to celebrate. The next day, Moses goes out to do what he always does…hear the complaints of the people against each other…he sits in judgment, day after day, deciding all the petty (and not-so-petty) complaints of over 600,000 men, not including women and children.
Jethro immediately notices a problem. More particularly, Jethro says, “Why are you trying to do this alone?” Jethro, in asking Moses the question, is trying to give Moses a lesson in humility. Humility is perhaps the greatest quality to look for in a leader. The original Hebrew spoken by Jethro leaves the impression that he sees Moses acting like a King over the people. Moses considers himself uniquely qualified to judge the people and their issues, almost like he’s God’s partner in this deal. That’s the strength of the language in the text. Jethro says, “That’s not good!” Basically, he’s saying, “Get over yourself, Moses. You’re killing yourself and you’re killing the people trying to do this alone.” It was a matter of respect. The whole tone of the conversation indicates that Moses’ ego was getting in the way of what is best for the people and for himself.
Leadership is not a Lone Ranger endeavor. Egotistical leadership is devastating to any organization. Granted, it takes a pretty large ego for someone to run for President, or any other office, for that matter, but ego that is not tempered with humility is egomaniacal, and is ultimately destructive.
There is a fantastic visual image contained in this entire episode, and it has to do with humility, and the power of humility. The encounter begins with Moses sitting to judge the people, and the narrative indicates he’s sitting because he’s worn out. Jethro offers his advice and says, “If you do this, you’ll be able to “stand up” under the pressure.” It’s Jethro’s way of saying, “If you humble yourself and relinquish some leadership, you’ll really find yourself standing over the people instead of the people standing over you.” That’s exactly what Jesus said, too. One day, his disciples were discussing who would be greatest among them. When they arrived at the house, Jesus asked what they were discussing, though he already knew. They didn’t answer him, but he sat them down and said “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Servant leadership is a Kingdom principle. It’s driven by humility.
Herb Kelleher, former CEO of Southwest Airlines said leaders have to subordinate their own egos to the needs of the business and their employees and customers. The cause that must be served is far greater than any one leader or individual. What’s true in business is also true in government, and in churches, and at home. No one leads alone. A leader needs the humility to acknowledge their own limitations.
A second trait I see in choosing leaders wisely is capability. We need leaders who are capable of leading us. Jethro recognizes the necessity of leadership on different levels. Part of that capability has to do with honesty and integrity. We could make these their own traits, but they are what make a capable leader. When we talk about honesty and integrity, we almost cringe when we look at many of the candidates in the political realm these days. Of course, it’s nothing new. The effects of Huey Long’s patronage system are still felt in Louisiana today, and history reminds us of the corruption of Tammany Hall in New York City throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and of the long history of alleged corruption in Chicago politics. Politics and corruption seem to go hand in hand. Jethro reminds Moses that at the heart of capability are honesty and integrity.
Jethro told Moses to identify capable leaders and appoint them judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Different leaders must fill different roles. Moses learns there are different levels of leadership, and each leader must fill the role he/she is uniquely gifted to fill. I’ve already said that we’re all leaders, we simply lead at different levels. Let’s face it…there are politicians who are great politicians at the local level, but would be terrible at a higher level. One question we should ask of those running for public office, or seeking a leadership capacity is “Are they capable of fulfilling the role?” Not every leader is equipped to fill every role; choices must be made based on the individual’s gifts, skills and talents.
I experienced this as a District Superintendent for the United Methodist Church. The church is led by a great number of gifted pastors, but honestly, not every pastor is suited to be the pastor of a large church, and there are pastors whose giftedness far exceeds the level of church they currently serve. There are fantastic pastors in small churches, but it would be disastrous for some of them and for the church to be appointed to a large church. There are natural born leaders who simply have the charisma to continually lead up, but there are equally gifted leaders capable and competent to lead on a smaller scale. And, there are many leadership skills that are teachable. Parents are leaders, even though they may only lead one other person, and parents can be taught to be better leaders. The same with managers is true. Leadership skills can be taught, nurtured and developed, and a leader’s capability can be increased, but for many there is a ceiling. That doesn’t matter. They’re still leading, and can be great leaders, as long as they’re leading at their level of capability.
The Boston Celtics is one of the most successful organizations of professional sports and the franchise enjoyed immense success in the 1960’s because, while the Celtics had several stars who led the team, others played crucial supportive roles. The Celtics coach, Red Auerbach, noted, “How you select people is more important than how you manage them.” The mix of role players determines the nature of the team as a whole and how it will function.
Always ask of the person we’re choosing to lead, “Does this person have the capability necessary to lead at this level?”
A third trait I see in Jethro’s advice is that of responsibility. When we choose leaders, we must be willing to let them lead. We can’t extend leadership responsibility and then micromanage their efforts. We’ll destroy their spirits and we’ll undo the good that could be done through their efforts. It’s been my desire as a leader to surround myself with people who are better than I am, give them responsibility for leading and get out of the way. I don’t mind admitting that Rev. Taylor is much better at pastoral care than I am. I’m perfectly content to let him lead in that area. He does it better and has a great passion for it. I don’t want to, nor do I need to micromanage his efforts when it comes to pastoral care. All he needs to do is keep me in the loop. I trust him to be responsible in his leadership. I could say the same for each of the other staff.
Bill O’Brien, CEO of Hanover Insurance Company, realized that if he wanted to succeed, members of his leadership team had to be empowered to make increasingly complex decisions. He said that “the fullest development of people [who share authority]…will ensure financial success.” Giving up some of his power meant that the company would ultimately benefit.
Jethro makes it clear to Moses that if you’ll follow this advice…identify leaders and let them lead…, then Moses will be able to stand up under the pressure and the people will return in peace. Sharing power is what God wants and what God expects. It is truly a holy act. Are we willing to allow the leaders we choose to actually lead us? We must follow their leadership unless and until they prove they’re not capable, and that brings me to the final trait I see, and that is accountability.
Responsibility is nothing without accountability. Verse 24 says that Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice. He submitted himself to the accountability that was offered. He was willing to be confronted with the cold, hard facts, and he demonstrated the humility (there’s that trait again) to receive the “constructive criticism” Jethro had to offer.
We should choose leaders who are willing to be held accountable. One of the great things about the American experiment is the “checks and balances” of the three branches of government. Part of the problem of governing by executive order is it circumvents the accountability component. But, then again, every four years, or two years, or six years as the case may be, is the election cycle. The accountability of the ballot box is always the accountability of last resort in the civic arena.
We, too, if we desire to be godly leaders, should submit ourselves to accountability. John Wesley was so concerned with building a righteous fellowship that he devised a series of questions for his followers to ask each other every week. Some found this rigorous system of inquiry too demanding and left. Today, the very idea of such a procedure would horrify many churchgoers. Yet some wisely follow just such a practice. Chuck Swindoll for example, has seven questions that he and a group of fellow pastors challenge each other with periodically:
1. Have you been with a woman anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising?
2. Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
3. Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material?
4. Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
5. Have you given priority time to your family?
6. Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling?
7. Have you just lied to me?
Genuine accountability is transformative. Moses followed Jethro’s advice, and his life and the lives of his nation were transformed. Everything rises or falls on leadership. If we choose leaders who demonstrate humility and capability, granting them responsibility and expecting accountability, then we’ll have leaders that will serve the greater good and perhaps, even grow the Kingdom of God.
