Leadership Principles for Successful Living
-Integrity of the Heart-
Joshua 1:1-8
From the life of Joshua we find leadership principles for successful living. From Joshua’s life and character we can learn helpful lessons on spiritual leadership for families, parents and individuals.
Are leaders born or made? Most leaders are made and not born. It’s also interesting that many leaders have gown through challenging times and struggles in life.
Henry and Richard Blackaby in their book “Called to be God’s Leader,” tell about a young man forced to abandon his military career in disgrace. For seven years he failed in several business attempts. He faced bankruptcy on several occasions. He even was forced to sell his pocket watch, his only remaining valuable, to provide Christmas gifts for his impoverished family.
He had to sell firewood on street corners to make ends meet. When a friend who knew him in better days asked him why he was selling firewood, he replied, “I am solving the problem of poverty.”
When war broke out his application to join the army was rejected. He finally took a job of selling bread to the army as a way to serve the army.
The young man was an unlikely candidate to actually become the leader to lead the Union army to victory during the Civil War and at the age of 46 became the youngest man to be elected president of the United States. His name was Ulysses S. Grant.
Joshua was a young man who grew up under difficult circumstances. His parents were slaves living under the bondage of the Egyptians. Yet Joshua became a dynamic spiritual leader. The key to his leadership was found in God.
Our hope today is the fact that God uses people regardless of their past experiences. Regardless of your past, God can still use you.
Joshua witnessed heart ache and suffering. As a child he saw his family being beaten and suffering under the strong hand of the Egyptians.
Let’s look at some leadership principles from the life of Joshua.
I. A Servant heart is the key to success.
According to God’s plan for leadership the key is not upward mobility, but downward mobility. God said to Joshua, “My servant Moses is dead, now you are my servant and will take his place and lead my people to the promise land.” (Joshua 1:1- 2)
Just as Moses had been a servant of the Lord now Joshua was going to be a servant of the Lord. Just as Moses listened to the Lord now Joshua was to listen to the Lord for instructions.
A person with a servant’s heart is teachable. He/she doesn’t have all the answers to life’s problems. They don’t have the final answer on all subjects. A servant looks to his master and listens to his master for assignments and instructions.
Jesus practiced downward mobility when he entered into his public ministry. He said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve , and give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28
If you want to experience success in life, in your family and at work; have a servant’s heart. Practice serving others more than expecting others to serve you.
Servant leadership is the key to successful relationships in the home and family. Ephesians 5:21 speaks to husbands and wives, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Marriage is a partnership. True partners serve one another and seek to meet each other’s needs.
Do you want your home and family to be successful? Then love as Jesus loved.
# A couple came to see their pastor as the last stop before making an appointment to see their respective lawyers about getting a divorce. When they came into the Pastor’s office the air was filled with tension. The husband sat on one side of the room hurling accusations. The wife sat on the other side, cold as ice, but occasionally blasting away with bitter fireball-type epithets at him.
The Pastor suggested they try to start over and go back to the point of time in their lives when they were in love. The man replied, “But I don’t love her anymore.” The Pastor said to him, “You respect the Bible, don’t you?” “Yes,” the man replied. “Well scripture says, “Love Your Wife.” “Yes,” said the man, “but we’re not living together as husband and wife. We have separate bedrooms.”
“Oh, you’re living in rooms next to each other?” The Pastor asked. “That’s right,” said the man. “Well, scripture has a word for you,” the Pastor said. “Love your neighbor.”
The young man shot back, “I don’t feel like she’s a neighbor. We relate to each other more like enemies.” To which the Pastor replied enthusiastically, “That’s great. I have good news for you. Scripture covers that base as well. It says, “Love Your Enemies.”
The husband and wife told the pastor, “But we just don’t feel like loving each other, and we certainly wouldn’t want to be hypercritical, would we?” The Pastor said, “Why don’t we suspend the discussion of hypocrisy for one week? Let me encourage you to go back to treating each other like you love each other.” To the husband he said, “You call your wife from work.” To the wife he said, “You have a nice meal prepared.” And to both he said, “Speak kind words to each other, even try to show some physical affection with an occasional hug or touch of hands. Let’s see what happens in a week’s time.”
The following week the couple returned to the Pastor’s office. He was surprised to see them sit by each other on the couch rather than taking opposite seats in his office. The Pastor turned to the husband and asked, “What’s the deal?” To which the wife replied, “He’s been nicer to me than he’s been since we were married ten years ago.”
Smiling, the husband said, “I guess you can love your enemy.”
Marriage isn’t about loving your enemy. It’s about loving your family as Jesus loved the church.
Servant love goes the second mile in meeting the needs of others.
# Years ago a young man named Clarence took his girlfriend on a summer outing. They took a picnic lunch out to a picturesque
island in the middle of a small lake. She wore a long dress and he wore a suit with a high collar. Clarence rowed them out to the island, dragged the boat onto shore, and spread their picnic supplies beneath a shade tree. He was so hypnotized by beauty that he hardly noticed the hot sun and perspiration on his brow. Softly she whispered to him, “Clarence, you forgot the ice cream.”
Clarence pulled the boat back into the water and rowed to shore. He found a grocery store nearby, bought the ice cream, and rowed back to the island. She battled her long eyelashes over deep blue eyes and softly said, “Clarence, you forgot the chocolate syrup.”
Love will make a person do strange things. Clarence got back into that boat and returned to the store for syrup. As he rowed back toward the island, suddenly he stopped. He sat there in the boat the rest of the afternoon, fascinated by an idea. By the end of that afternoon, Clarence Evinrude had invented the outboard motor. He also later married the girl who waited so long on the island.
The key to success at work, in your family and in serving the Lord is servant leadership. It’s living and loving as Jesus lived and loved. Joshua was successful in his leadership because he followed in the steps of Moses. Joshua was a servant leader.
II. God’s Word Gives the Answer for Successful Living
Joshua 1:6-8 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart form your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
To enjoy success at your work, in your family and in relationships: Don’t let the book of law depart form your mouth. Meditate on God’s Word. Apply God’s Word to you life. Your life should back up your words.
The teaching by parents, “Don’t do as I do, but do as I say,” doesn’t work. If our life doesn’t back up our teaching our words are meaningless. It is the inconsistent lives of parents that result in rebellious children.
The old song we sometimes sing rings with the truth of scripture.
“Trust and obey for- there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” If we truly trust Jesus then we will obey.
Successful parenting requires that parents teach God’s Word in both word and practice. Deuteronomy 6:5-8 (Message) God instructs parents:
“Love God, your God with your whole heart; love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.”
As parents we are to take God’s Word seriously. We are not to have a flippant attitude toward God’s Word. God’s Word is to have the highest priority in our personal lives and in our home.
God has given parents the responsibility or molding and not spoiling their children. Molding and not spoiling often requires that parents make hard choices and demonstrate tough love.
A Christian family had three sons. The oldest was greatly gifted intellectually and musically. He was an outstanding student and was proficient on the violin.
Upon graduating from high school the gifted young man chose a prestigious school on the West Coast known for its academics. The physician father paid the full tuition, and the boy began his first year many miles from home. It wasn’t long before he started running with the wrong crowd. He did well academically and played the violin in the university orchestra. But he also developed a surly, rebellious spirit.
He completed his freshman year and come home for the summer. It wasn’t long before his mom and dad realized they had a rebellious son living under their roof. His arrogant, stubborn, and mean spirited attitude disrupted the family harmony. Late one afternoon the father had had enough.
He called his son into his study, closed the door, pointed to the large leather chair, and said firmly, “Sit down.” He then delivered a speech his son never forgot. “Everything you own is mine. I bought every stitch of clothing you war and everything that hangs in your closet. Your car out there in the driveway is mine; I paid for it. The money in your pocket came from my account. I want you to empty your pockets and your wallet on my desk. Leave everything that is mine in this house, and I want you to get out. Leave all your clothing, give me the car keys, and oh, by the way, also leave your violin. I bought that instrument too. You leave everything that you have been using, which I am now claiming. You may keep the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet, but that’s it. There’s the door. Leave now.
“When you decide to change your attitude and come back into this home as a family member with a cooperative, submissive spirit, you need to know we will accept you and we’ll welcome you back as a part of our family, but not until! I love you and always will, but you’re not the boy we raised, and I’m not putting up with it one minute longer.”
The boy emptied his pockets and walked out the front door. He got about three blocks down the street. He pondered long his future and reflected on his father’s rebuke. When it was nearly dark he walked back home with his head down. He knocked on the door. His parents came to the door and he said, “I am sorry. I am sorry. I realize I need you, and I want all of you to know that I am sorry. I love you.”
The number one calling of leaders to be effective at work, at home in the family and in all relationships can be described in one word – “Integrity.” Integrity of the heart spells the difference between success and failure in God’s sight.
The worldly view is to cut corners, hedge a little on the truth, tell lies, be dishonest in business dealings and gain greater profits. The profit motives cares little about the effect long work hours has on the family. As long as the bottom line looks good that’s all that counts.
Integrity of the heart doesn’t only count for now, it counts for eternity.
Psalm 25:21, “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Psalm 26:1 “Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.”
Integrity of heart means we are open and fully honest in our life and relationships. I’m not talking about perfection. I am talking about perfect love. You have integrity when you do something or say something that offends someone else and you confess your failings and ask for forgiveness or say you are sorry.
As long as we live in this human body we will have human weaknesses. We lack knowledge and lack strength and lack abilities, but we can be committed to integrity and pursuing perfect love. “Integrity of the heart” and perfect love are the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul prayed for Christians in Thessalonica: “May God himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” I Thessalonians 5:23-24
When we surrender our lives to the Lord and hold nothing back, but yield 100 %, the Holy Spirit of God sanctifies and cleanses our heart and gives us an inner desire to please Jesus and honor the Lord as long as we live.
From time to time we need to pray: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
When we follow the example of Joshua and practice serving the Lord with a servant’s heart, and apply God’s Word to our life and practice integrity of heart then we can:
III. Face Life With Confidence
Joshua 1:9 -- “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
When you have a servant’ heart and practice integrity in your life and family you have the same promise the Lord gave Joshua:
Be strong – God gave Joshua strength to fight and win battles against all odds. When Joshua conquered Jericho it required more than a cake walk. Joshua trusted God for victory by putting in place an unusual strategy. Joshua 6)
You may face situations at work or at home that seem insurmountable. God will give you strength to see you through. There are some work and family circumstances that seem impossible to get through. God promises you strength to see you through to the other side.
Be courageous – Joshua was taking on a new and heavy responsibility. He was now the leader of the children of Israel. There were over 600,000 fighting men plus their families – probably 2 Million or more. No wonder God told Joshua “Be strong and courageous,” Joshua 1:7 and again in Joshua 1:18, “Be strong and courageous!”
Several in our congregation are facing job changes and moves. The Lord would say to you as you face uncertainties and new responsibilities: “Be strong and courageous.”
The second verse of “How Firm a Foundation,” says:
“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I’ll strength thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”
Do not be afraid – God told Joshua, “Do not be terrified or afraid.” Joshua knew that the God of all creation would go with him as they entered the land of Canaan. They faced giants, but God would be with them. The Bible says that “Perfect Love casts out fear.” I John 4:16, 18a “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear,…” NLT
With the promises of God in our heart we face life with confidence – In Christ we are strong, courageous and not afraid.”
Do not be discouraged - Joshua had every reason to be discouraged. For forty years he heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. They complained about the daily Manna. They complained about not having enough water. They complained about not having meat. Joshua needed all the reassurance he could get. God said, “Do not be discouraged.”
As parents we often face situations where we wonder if our children will ever get it right. We try this and we try that and wonder why there seems to be so little change in character. Yet at just the right time someone comes along and gives an encouraging word and our hope is renewed.
I remember when our oldest son Tim was in Junior High. He had a science teacher that was anti-God and extremely hard on his students. Tim was being stressed out. One night after he was in bed –-- our sons, Tim and Wendel had their bedrooms in the basement of the house in Taylor, Michigan. Carollyn and I could hear Tim crying since our bedroom was above his. I went down to his room and asked him what was wrong. He said he couldn’t take that one class in science any longer. We talked to the school principal to no avail, so we were willing to make a financial sacrifice and put him in a private Christian school. He had a great rest of the year.
As parents we often need to take action to encourage our children. Our encouragement can be a turning point in their lives.
I encourage you to look at the life of Joshua as a model for your life. In Joshua you find leadership principles for success.
Ask God to give you a servant heart and attitude.
Surrender your life anew to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to give you a heart of integrity.
Then you will face life with confidence - and God reassuring words:
Be strong,
Be courageous,
Do not be afraid and
Do not be discouraged.
