“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”” (1 Samuel 16:7). This is a difficult lesson for us to learn. Much of our denominational, college and seminary structure and education has put more emphasis on what we know rather than on what we are – character. This has led to placing persons in positions of leadership (pastors, teachers, elders, deacons and others) who have knowledge or ability according to a worldly standard, but in fact, they are rejected by God because of serious character defects. The problem stems from “looking on the outward appearance” rather on the “heart”. When Paul had to justify his ministry of reconciliation, he said, “We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.” (2 Corinthians 5:12). Solomon instructed his son; “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23). Again he says, “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” (Proverbs 23:26). You may be able to fool people with your “outward appearances” for a time, but God is your first line of accountability who goes right past the outward appearance to the heart. Is He finding suitable conditions that He can use you to advance His kingdom and glorify Him through the church? The difference between these two things is either rejection or a divine calling.
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When we consider leaders in Scripture, there is only one of whom it is said, “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22). It is evident that this type of leader is rare. We could point to all the sins and bad choices David made in his life, but there was an overarching character quality in David that pleased God. Even before God selected David, He said to Saul through Samuel, “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Saul was rejected because he was impatient and acted independent of God’s will. God is still seeking men like David. He is looking at you and me. What does he see? Are we passionate about being this kind of man? If not, what is hindering you from becoming this kind of man? Will you use this moment to rededicate your life to do God’s will – His alone? One of the most exciting, instructive and unlikely leaders in Scripture is David. Read 1 Samuel 16:6-13 and work through the following questions: 1) What were God’s instructions to Samuel about looking for a kingly leader in verse 7? 2) How can we see as God sees and where does He look? 3) Why is it important not to let appearances govern our evaluation of a potential leader? 4) In verse 11, Samuel discovers there is one more son of Jesse who did not get invited to the sacrifice at Bethlehem. He is “the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” What leadership characteristics do you see in this young man and why is it necessary for leading the people of God? Think carefully about how we choose leaders today. Is education, personality and many other things we esteem more important than character? Read Acts 4:13 and see if God has changed His method of selecting leaders. We each respond to God’s call in different ways. I remember so well the first time I felt God calling me to serve Him. My reaction was; “How could God use a person like me!” Unfortunately, the feeling was not a fleeting thought, but a persistent questioning of God’s sovereign choosing and doubting His grace – until I was confronted by a wiser older man with the fact that God does not make mistakes and His design is perfect.
In a sense, it was the same with Moses. Notice what he says to God: “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”” (Exodus 3:11). God maintains His plan for this ‘servant-in-the-making’ and says, “I will be with you” (3:12). “Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’” (4:1). God demonstrates His power in two small miracles with Moses’ staff and his hand to show Moses that it was not up to him to make the people listen. It was just up to Moses to obey and follow God. “But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue”” (4:10). In reply, God said, “Who has made man’s mouth?” (4:11). As leaders we must learn to say what God wants us to say, not what we have imagined should be said or what men expect us to say (See 2 Timothy 4:3-4). “But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else”” (4:13). At this point the anger of the Lord is kindled against Moses (4:14). “Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.” (Nahum 1:6). As a leader, we are ever in the presence of God and must realize He is holy. These are all self-centered responses Moses gave to God that were not acceptable. How we respond will clearly determine how and if God will use us. In this series on leadership, we are looking at leaders God has called and the character required for their position. As we saw with Gideon, he was a humble man who did not think himself worthy of the call or the role of leader to bring Israel to victory over Midian. Now we turn to another man God called who felt unqualified-- MOSES.
Moses was born at a dangerous time in history – when all male babies were to be murdered at birth! He would have been killed by the Pharaoh if it had not been that “the midwives feared God” (Exodus 1:17). Through divine planning and protection, Moses is raised by the daughter of Pharaoh and spends forty years in the wilderness of Midian “keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro” (3:1). Note what happens as Moses carries out his daily responsibilities. “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”” (Exodus 3:2–4). Too often we think that we have to perform some unusual act of faith to get God’s attention. He is watching ordinary people who are being faithful in ordinary responsibilities. Are you being faithful in your wilderness? It is the place of preparation! God will visit you in His way and in His time if you remain faithful. Do not become impatient, even if forty years have passed. Be faithful where you are, in the circumstances, learning to live by trusting God implicitly! There is a remarkable dialog in Judges 7 between God and Gideon. In chapter 6, God told Gideon “I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”” (Judges 6:16). The analogy that God used did not quite calculate with Gideon, so he assembled 32,000, no doubt thinking that the more men he put into the battle the better. God takes Gideon through a very instructive process that reduces the numbers from 32,000 down to 300 or 99.1% were let go. What General in his right mind would do this? We must carefully examine the elements of this reduction and why. > The first reduction of 22,000 was based on whether they were “fearful and trembling” (7:3). Solomon said, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” (Proverbs 29:25). > The second reduction of 9,700 was based on how the men drank water. Those who acted like a dog drinks water were set aside, leaving 300 men who followed God-given instinct using their hands. God is not concerned with numbers, but with the character that will reflect Himself. Paul makes this point clear: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power” (2 Corinthians 10:4). “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). There are spiritual battles we face today that cannot be won with the flesh. Are you willing to let God form His character in you and reduce everything of human reliance so He can display His power in and through you? “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”” (Judges 6:12). These words really got Gideon’s attention! Perhaps he did not realize the Lord was with him, especially considering the circumstances he was in. We must be careful not to assume the worst when, humanly speaking, conditions tell us God is absent. The truth is that God is present in the most difficult situations, looking for the slightest evidence of faith and then acting to strengthen that faith.
Gideon is respectful to this heavenly visitor, yet immediately asks hard questions to gain clarity and understanding as to why Israel was in the oppressed conditions. The Lord did not answer Gideon’s questions directly but told him to “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” (6:14). God accomplishes great things through those prepared and sent by Him. Self-appointed leaders always fail and come short of God’s purpose. Gideon has one more issue with God - “And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house”” (6:15). What a humble man! Here is a man with exactly the kind of attitude God is looking for. “And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man”” (6:16). God delights to be with those who know they are nothing without the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in them. This is the type of person God sends into the most difficult places and shows His power to transform what others say is impossible. Are you one of those persons? The times in Israel were very tough. As the cycle of deterioration set in again with Israel after the end of the Deborah/Barak leadership, God again gives His people into the hands of another oppressor, Midian. This time, God does not immediately raise up a judge when they cry to Him for deliverance. He allows a process to work in one individual, which we will see in this man Gideon. The ravage of Israel by Midian leaves them without food, sheep or donkeys. The point of God’s message through the prophet was not to supply food, but to awaken their hearts to realize “I AM the Lord your God, you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell” (6:10). The proper fear of God dictates behavior that honors Him.
At the foundation of our relationship with God, there must be a reciprocal commitment based on knowing who He is that causes us to love Him more than the influences and circumstances of the world, to the degree that our obedience to Him is based on our of love for Him, not because of any demand. We will see this obedience in Gideon even though he had questions. Why would we call Gideon an unlikely leader? There was no predecessor to mentor him, but it is evident that God had been watching the secret life of this man. He was moldable clay in God’s hand. Imagine a divine person making their appearance to an ordinary man, in a difficult situation, among a rebellious people who are taunted by a nation stronger than them. Yet, Gideon was doing what he could to provide for his people with the energy and determination God had given him – in a winepress. It is to this kind of person the Lord appears; first to give His personal affirmation for the character that Gideon had. What he was doing proved that he was a “mighty man of valor” (6:12). There is another side to his character which we will examine tomorrow. What are you doing in secret that honors God and blesses His people, without seeking recognition? Would you recognize God speaking to you through His Word by the Holy Spirit? God does not choose and then call His leaders based on the world’s standard or criteria. For example, when Jesus chose the twelve disciples for His Father’s very important task, He chose no one from the “religious establishment”. A look back on the pattern of God’s choice of leaders is much different than the ways of man and this world’s organizations.
In this blog, we will look at some general principles that God employs in the choosing and calling of leaders. Then we will look at specific leaders God called in the following blogs to look more closely at these principles. For now, consider the following references: “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–29). It is evident that God’s choice of anyone for His work will be those who are humbled by the call, who are weak in their own estimation, and have nothing but what God supplies. They realize there is nothing in themselves that warrants even being considered by God for His work. At the same time, they are persons who are willing to obey divine instructions without knowing the path before them or what sacrifices they will need to make along the way. Such persons will not fit into the world’s idea of a good leader or the ‘cookie cutter’ model of educational systems. They will have a growing devotion to the Lord and His Word, self-discipline and a servant’s attitude. These and other characteristics will be examined in the blogs that follow. It really does not matter what has characterized you in the past. It does matter how you prepare for the future. “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). "You who suffer and wonder that God does not intervene and rid you of your oppressions, be still, no matter how small the whisper that you hear of Him. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19; also Hebrews 10:30). His thunder shall burst out at exactly the right moment, and relief shall come. The thunder of His power shall be unchained and shall break forth, utterly destroying the unjust, and gloriously justifying the righteous.”
Boreham, F. W., A Packet of Surprises, page 146. |
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