Have you ever experienced times when you felt like you were surrounded by whiners, complainers, and people who had no faith in you or your leadership?
Me too!
I think all of us who have been in positions of leadership for any length of time have experienced the whiners, the complainers, and the faithless.
If you think your situation was bad, imagine what Moses was going through as he led some 4 million people out of Egypt on the way to the Promised Land. They were only gone a few days, and the people started whining about one thing after another.
- They complained about the taste of the water (Exodus 15:23).
- Then complained about being hungry (Exodus 16:2-3).
- And then they complained about being thirsty (Exodus 17:1-4).
Despite the miracle of being led through the Red Sea, the water purified, the mana being provided every day, and the water flowing from the rock, they doubted God and Moses.
But Not Everyone
As leaders, it sometimes seems like we are standing alone, but that is seldom the case. It wasn’t the case for Moses either.
About a year after they left Egypt, God gave Moses detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-30). But who will do all the work? Not these faithless whiners and complainers!
Yet, where God leads, He provides, and God knew exactly who He wanted to build the Tabernacle. Enter Bezalel, from the tribe of Judah, whom God personally chose and appointed to supervise the work of building the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1 & 35:30).
What made Bezalel so special? According to Exodus 35:30-34 Bezalel was:
- Filled with the Spirit of God,
- Skilled,
- Intelligent,
- Knowledgeable, and
- Inspired.
When you think about a resume for a great leader, this is about as good as it gets!
How’s My Leadership Scorecard?
When I look in the mirror and honestly assess myself against these leadership qualifications, I feel woefully inadequate.
- Am I as Spirit-filled as I could be? No. I often feel I should spend more time reading and studying the Scripture. I feel my prayer life is not as strong as it should be.
- Am I skilled as I could be? Nope. I always feel like there are things I need to do to improve my skillsets.
- Am I as Intelligent as I could be? Well, this one is out of my control. But the bigger question is, am I using what intelligence the Lord gave me in ways that honor Him?
- Am I as knowledgeable as I could be? Again, no. As fast as the world is changing, there is always something new to learn.
- Am I inspired? Finally! Something I can say yes to! God called me to this ministry at this time in my life. I feel privileged to get up every day and do what I am doing!
So, here’s the thing. God chooses whom He chooses, but whom the Lord chooses, He qualifies (1 Thessalonians 5:24). God has called each of us to a specific work, and He has equipped us for that work.
In conclusion, the most important thing for us as Christians who are also called to leadership is
1) to be filled with the Spirit of God, and
2) to be skilled, intelligent, knowledgeable, and inspired
as we apply the gifts and talents, God has given us to our daily work and ministry.
Faithless whiners and complainers need not apply!
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. How do you rate yourself against each of the leadership characteristics God attributed to Bezalel? Are there some areas where you have room for improvement?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because people like you share it with friends. Would you share it by pressing one of the share buttons below?
Category: Personal Development | Character
Ron- Another thoughtful post. However, I respectfully disagree with your leadership scorecard regarding this statement: “Am I as intelligent as I could be? Well, this one is out of my control.” Seems to me your blog consistently educates readers. Which means you take the time to educate yourself. So, I don’t think your intelligence is “out of your control,” because clearly demonstrate an ongoing scholarship. Perhaps you’re correct about the raw intelligence we are given. Some are more gifted than others. But I believe we do have some control over the depth of intelligence we can attain. At least, I sure hope so!
Right again, John. It seems like I am always on a quest to learn. Sometimes it silly stuff (like learning to make traditional German beer like my grandparents made on the farm), and sometimes it is life changingly serious (like entering seminary). Learning is always an adventure!
Traditional family beer like your grandparents made on the farm. Now that’s one you don’t hear everyday!
What can I say – it was a “back to my roots” phase! I also tried to learn how to bake several of grandma’s coffee cakes from her recipes but they were never as good as hers.