Makings of a great leader from Moses

I have been so fascinated about Moses since God's call for me to Taiwan.  I have so many questions too; some could probably only be answered in heaven.  In pondering those questions, I have learned a few things about what makes Moses a great leader.

My first question was "Why did God choose Moses?"  Sure, his childhood was extraordinary being kept in a basket on Nile River and grew up as an Egyptian prince all the while knowing he wasn't an Egyptian.  But I don't think that's why God chose him.   Then he murdered an Egyptian for mistreating an Israelite and ran to hide in Median for 40 years.  He was a shepherd and lived a seemingly peaceful life.  Perhaps he thought he has become a Midianite after those 40 years.  He probably had no desire to go back to Egypt and was content with his new life when that fateful day he met God in the burning bush.  I wonder if the reason God chose him was something he developed during those 40 years as a shepherd.  Maybe he talked, sang and worshiped God like David while he herded the sheep?  Moses clearly didn't want to do the job and didn't think he was qualified to be the leader of Israel.  Yet, God chose him and equipped him to that special call.

God could have chosen Moses' brother Aaron, but Aaron was just a helper to Moses.  Moses clearly knew he wasn't an Egyptian though he was raised by Pharoah's daughter.  He probably figured it out because he looked different, or because his real mom told him.  This also fascinates me because he had to be very young (not sure how long Israelites breastfeed their babies), yet he understood that he was an Israelite.  However, he was not accepted by other Israelites.  They told him, "Who made you our boss? get lost."  Later he was accepted by the Midianites and got married and settled down there in the wilderness.  But he also knew that he wasn't a Midianite.  But after 40 years of eating their food and doing things their way, he probably thought that this is it, it's ok to be different, at least they accepted him, a fugitive and a nobody.  He was not rich as a shepherd, but he had a roof over his head and food to eat.  Simple life.  Some of the greatest heroes of the Bible were shepherds: David, Joseph, and Moses... probably more.  I wonder why.  Could it be that shepherds spend lots of time alone?  Maybe they don't blend in with others and are humble people.  God likes to use humble people who don't think they are all that plus a bag of chips.  

Alone time with God

Moses knew how to be alone with his thoughts and perhaps talked to God while he was watching the sheep.   There was a study done to give men two choices, to be alone with their thoughts or to receive mild electric shocks.  A great many chose electric shocks because to be alone with your thoughts is an uncomfortable thing.  However, it is necessary and a process for growth to develop time alone.  Jesus often took time away from the crowd before dawn to be alone with the Father.  He was focused on doing the Father's will.  He didn't heal every sick, and he didn't go where the people beckoned him to go, He went where the Father directed him.  To be clear about where God wanted Him to go, He spent time alone with the Father daily. 

One of my favorite places here in Taiwan is a silent retreat place called 靜山 Silent retreat center in ChangHua.  I just went again 4/15.  They provide a simple room for Christians and Catholics who wanted to spend time talking to God.  Other than registration, we were expected to be silent because others are communing with the Lord.  They feed you good food too.  I love going there because it's like coming home for me.  I didn't need to do anything, just be me and all is taken care of.  I felt loved just for being me.   I have always loved time alone with Jesus and because CR taught us to have periodic inventory time to reflect, I have had "Jesus retreats" twice a year since about 10 years ago.  Knowing and hearing all about God is different from experiencing Him.  If you have not gone on a solo trip with Jesus, I encourage you to do one, at least over one weekend.  To me, it was life changing.  I wrote about this in a couple of these blogs:

Jesus Retreat - A mini retreat with Jesus | Success God's Way (mysuccessgodsway.com)

Year-end reflection time with God | Success God's Way (mysuccessgodsway.com)

I imagine that Moses probably had lots of these retreats out there in the wilderness sitting with the sheep, though the Bible didn't specifially say.  He probably talked to God about a lot of his issues and questions in life.   I can see that when he led the Israelites, he talked with God freely like an old friend.  He probably was doing that already as a shepherd.  The discipline of regularly connecting with God and discerning His voice in the midst of many other voices in the world are probably qualities that God was looking for in a man. 

Once I went on a Jesus retreat to Yosemite and they played a movie in the visitor center about John Muir.  That movie made such an impact on me for some reason.  I've seen John Muir's name everywhere in CA, but I didn't know much about him until the movie.  He was one of pioneers that went on horse/mule back to get to Yosemite and once he saw how majestic it was, he stayed and spent his whole life defending and protecting Yosemite.  He even took President Roosevelt on an overnight camping trip and showed him the splendor.  Because of that experience, Roosevelt initiated the National Park program which preserved this rare beauty for many generations to see. I am proud to say that only the U.S. has national parks as treasures to show the world; the other countries only have manmade architecture, which clearly pale in comparison.  How did God use such a man as John Muir?  He spent lots of time hiking, admiring, enjoying the beauty of creation and communing with God.   Again, lots of time alone beholding the beauty of our creator and His creation.  I remembered wanted to be John Muir, living in the midst of beautiful nature beholding the Lord.  It's still possible for me, just not right now.  On a side note, I found out from talking to one of the Yosemite employees that if you work in Yosemite, you get a simple housing inside the park.  What wonderful life away from the hustle and bustle of the city!  It's not fancy and may be very cold in the winter, but still sounds attractive to me someday down the road. 😀

Moses met with God so much and spent so much time talking to Him that his face was shiny and glowed.  God talked with Moses face to face.  When God showed up in all of His glory, the Israelites trembled and backed away, but Moses drew closer to God.  Moses loved God and He didn't want to go anywhere without God.  When the people sinned and built a golden calf, God was angry with them and said that He would send an angel to bring them into the promise land, but He would not go.  Moses told God that it wasn't good enough.  He would not move unless God moved with them.    He loved the Lord so much and had such an intimate relationship with God.  This incident clearly showed that. 

Humility that led to close partnership with God

God uses humble people.  One of the qualities that God was looking for in Moses was humility.  When he was Pharoah's son and killed an Egyptian in defense of an Israelite, he wasn't humbled enough for God to use him.  God waited 40 years before calling him, and this Moses that saw the burning bush was lacking in self-confidence.  I wondered what happened there in the wilderness as a shepherd?  How did Moses go from thinking he could right all wrongs to "I'm not qualified to be a leader"?  We won't know until heaven, but all we know is that he became a very humble person.  In fact, the Bible said that he was the most humble person on the face of the earth.  Num 12:3   True humility is being respectful, recognizing our need for God, trusting in His wisdom and salvation.  Jesus was humble; He didn't assume himself equal to God, though He is.  He checks in with God all the time.  He spent time with God away from people; He talked with God constantly, and He sought Father's will and wisdom in all things.  That's what Moses did too.  I see in scripture so many meetings with God discussing problems, addressing complaints, and figuring out the next steps.  Sometimes Moses said these are Your people that you brought out of Egypt.  Sometimes God said to Moses, these are Your people.  There were constant discussions regarding how to lead these stiff-necked people.  That's true partnership because Moses knew he couldn't have done it alone and didn't want to.  He needed God because he knew he wasn't able to be the leader without God, that's humility.  

It isn't healthy to be overly dependent on people, but God wants us to depend on Him because He is God.  He is everywhere, all-wise, all-powerful, loving and never lack energy or become unavailable.  Why would we not want to depend on Him?  We can do so much more amazing things when we partner with Him.  It's all cool to learn humility but the process of humbling ourselves is often not fun and downright painful.  God loves this character in choosing a leader.  All great leaders go through it.  God didn't use Joseph when he was 17 and beloved by his father Jacob and went and told everyone his dreams.  He needed to go through some years of Humility training, it was a training program that no one in his right mind would sign up for, but it was exactly what he needed to be humble enough to become a great leader.  David had to go through years running and hiding from crazy King Saul who day and night hunted him down.  He learned to listen to God's voice and direction and not trust in his own understanding.  He went through the Humility training course. 

Why am I encouraged by studying about Moses?  Because in the loneliness of starting over life in a strange land, I am learning to trust God more than ever and talk to Him about everything.  I can communicate some basics in Mandarin but not proficient.  I don't understand much of the culture or the ways they do things here.  It's so hot and I am constantly sweaty and often stinky.  I am away from my kids and friends.  Is it humbling?  YES.  Are you going through some similar experiences that are painful and humbling?  It isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Like Moses, God is training us and shaping us to do something amazing and great.  He knows what He is doing.  So keep trusting Him and do the next right thing.  Don't get discouraged, He is preparing us into being a great leader too, we just need to pass the course.