Shared Leadership

Exodus 18:13-27 Click HERE for the reading

The whole trip into the wilderness invites us to remember that this relationship is one big experiment.  It is learning on the job 101.  Moses is learning everyday about leadership.  In this passage he gets to hear from an unexpected (or expected, depending upon your in laws) place.  Jethro, Moses' Father-in-law provides Moses with something all leaders need; perspective.

A truth learned yesterday reveals itself again: YOU CANNOT DO THIS ALONE!

Yet we try, don't we.

Recently, I had to ask for help on a project at the church that was 9 months into the making.  Talk about stubborn. What am I trying to prove. So I invited 2 wonderful saints of God to help me get this project done.  In one afternoon, the 3 of us got more done on this one project than I could have done in the past 9 months.

And this is what God wants us to do is to share the leadership God has given us, regardless of where you might be leading.  I am hearing what I knew to be true in the restaurant, leading is about delegating as much as it is about doing and accomplishing.  When everyone in our restaurant helped get ready for an inspection there was a greater aspect of shared investment in what we were doing as a whole.  Moses is learning this lesson.  Instead of continuing to bark orders from the mountaintop, he needs to share the responsibility, delegate his leadership and share his authority. 

I know this is tough for some leaders because it causes us to be vulnerable.  But in this experiment of being in relationship with God it goes a long way to have the people help share the leadership.....and that leadership multiplies itself for a buy-in on where God is leading them because they now feel like they are helping lead.

This is so easy it is difficult!