One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."
OBSERVATION
Moses grew up with a desire to do something for His oppressed people and bring change. In his young and naive years, he tried to bring freedom on his own way, by killing an Egyptian. He did it in the shadows, like a vigilante. He probably felt good about it and even confident enough to exercise some leadership among the Hebrews. But some of them knew of his secret murderous ways, confronted him sarcastically, and dismissed his intent to lead. As a result of this, he felt disqualified from the original intent of becoming a liberator, ran away from Pharaoh, and went into exile.
APPLICATION
This week I have learned a very important lesson that is confirmed in this passage of Scripture. In Christian leadership, those who are called to lead most of the times have good intentions to bring positive and necessary change. At the start line of the race we have pure motives, creative ideas, and good intentions. We can visualize the finish line with great results that bring blessing to people and glory to God. So we start the race, but very often something happens on the track. As we find obstacles, our insecurities, selfishness, fears, compulsions and character flaws become evident. And if we don't know how to handle them properly in the presence of God, we could deceive ourselves, believe that the means justify the ends, and eventually end up behaving unethically, just like Moses did. When that happens, people around us are going to notice that something is not quite right and they are going to ask questions. Our tendency is to avoid the answers about the ethics of our means, and use our intentions as an excuse. We say, "My intentions are pure. My motivation is good."
This week I realized how easy is for leaders to follow this pattern of self-deception. It makes me sad to think about those around me who started with good intentions, but disqualified themselves from the race because of unethical behavior. But this morning God's Word gives me hope that just as Moses was restored and became the most humble man that ever lived, these leaders who I love can also experience God's restoration and purification of their calling to lead and finish the race well.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please keep my heart pure from wrong motives and from unethical, unbiblical, twisted, and compromising solutions. The means cannot justify the end. Let me walk in integrity and run the race the right way, never risking to be disqualified because of impatience or frustration. Show me how to bring discernment into the process so we keep it clean, honest, transparent, and honorable in such a way that brings blessings to people and glory to your name. Amen!
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