Leading Through Crisis
So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” (Exod 32:31-32)
Anyone who ascends to a position of leadership has accepted the responsibility of leading people through some crisis – a crisis will surely be encountered at some point along the journey. Today we are faced with feuding people groups in one place, health crisis in another; adverse climate, economic downturns and more such crises have appeared in our times; even crisis situations at the level of family or small organizations can be very demanding on the leader. Some leaders get upset and in the heat of the moment end up making grave mistakes and implementing a leadership that kills, while others draw from God-given gifts and direction and carefully exercise a leadership that heals. We find examples in the section of the Exodus story we read today.
In Exodus 32 we find Israel in serious crisis: when Moses spent a little longer on the mountain (in God’s presence), the impatience of the people caused them to invent a god in form of a golden calf to fill an apparent gap. We find two leaders going terribly astray: first the leaders of small groups – these came to Aaron and feigned ignorance about Moses’ whereabouts and passionately demanded for man-made gods – even threatening Aaron! The second is Aaron who succumbed to the wicked demands of the people and manufactured the golden calf. In trying to escape the people’s furious threats Aaron forsook the LORD. The Israelites bowed before the abominable idol at a time when they had just received the Ten Commandments. In the two leaders here we find a leadership that kills: more than three thousand people died as a result of this crisis and sin!
Moses on the other hand exercised leadership that heals. When he first heard (from God) about the crisis in the camp, he staged a serious intercession for them. When he came down, the sound and sight of the people busy worshipping an idol was very annoying. He is seen burning with anger and without pretense bashes and breaks the tablets from God, speaks harshly, punishes the people, and in a short time 3,000 are already dead! Despite these seemingly tough repercussions, Moses would later calm down and go back to God with a deeper and more passionate intercession for the people. He thus saved the perishing of the entire congregation (as God had warned) – a leadership that heals. Leadership that heals is founded on a deep love for God and a deep love for the people; this ensures that the leader will not lose the vision even in the face of adversity, and hence will not give up.
Each of us has been entrusted with some leadership to some extent. Growth in leadership demands that we guard against ignorance and impatience; it demands that we keep our eyes on the God-given vision and persevere through tough seasons as good stewards.
God bless you.