The Character of Leadership: Joshua
In this study of the character of leaders, I find myself thinking about “the character of characters.” A “character” is a person, often someone who plays a part in a story and is an example from whom we can learn, but it is also a trait or attribute that can be applied to that person and to his/her leadership. When we study the character of that character – identifying biblical characters, and then identifying something in their character that can teach us something about who we are and how we lead – we learn things about the character of leadership that can be applied in our own lives. In this week’s episode, we are learning from Joshua.
For most of us, when we think about Joshua, there are probably two things to come to mind. The first is the encouragement that he received from God recorded in Joshua chapter 1, and most notably verse 9, which says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” That verse is printed on wall art, shared in devotionals, and often used as a challenge for boldness. The second is his role as the military leader who led them in a successful conquest of the promised land. After Moses passed away, the mantle of leadership was transferred to Joshua, and he led the people with the strategy of dividing and conquering, leading them to victory and then claiming the land as theirs, followed by dividing the land between the tribes. On a side note, it’s interesting that the 24 chapters of Joshua can be divided in half, with chapters 1-12 describing how the land was divided and conquered, and then chapters 13-24 describing how it would be divided and settled.
However, starting Joshua’s story there is like starting the biography of George Washington at the point in time when he became the leader of the colonial military in the American Revolutionary War. There was a whole lot that happened in his life before that point in time that was critical in shaping him into the kind of leader that he would be. In the same way, there are things we learn about Joshua in the Bible before we get to Joshua chapter 1, and it teaches us something about his character that can be beneficial to our leadership.
A simple reading through the books of Exodus and Numbers reveals quite a few mentions of Joshua, and always in the presence or service of Moses. He was chosen by Moses to lead the army in a battle against the Amalekites. He would follow along with and serve Moses when Moses was meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. He would report to Moses on what was happening among the people. He was one of the 12 spies selected by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan, and one of the only two among them who was willing to trust God’s provision of it. At the end of Moses’ life, God instructed Moses to appoint Joshua as the next leader, and called him “A man in whom is the Spirit.”
What do we learn about his character from this? Before he was ever in the position of leader of the people, first he was faithful, teachable, and willing to do the work. He was faithful to God, committed to obedience to God, and committed to a life that reflected godliness. He was also faithful to the task and responsibilities he was given, even before he had leadership authority. He listened to direction, both from God and from his leader, Moses, and grew in his capability because of that, which prepared him for future leadership. He did what he was tasked to do, even when it was hard work. He didn’t try to do Moses’ job, only his own, and worked at doing it well. In the end, the leadership role that he was given was the result of the character he had demonstrated along the way.
The character of this character is a lesson for all of us. Don’t wait until you have been given the position of leadership before reflecting the character that shows you are worthy and capable of leadership. Commit yourself to faithfulness to God and to the task He has given you, intentionally learning as you go and putting in the work to do your job well and grow yourself. If this is your character, when the time and place is right, God will put your next steps of leadership in front of you, and you will be ready. But remember that it doesn’t “just happen.” Rather, there is preparation and work that happens consistently long before you are given leadership responsibility. As the 10,000-hour rule has shown, true greatness doesn’t come without thousands of hours of work and practice in the background, and the same is true in leadership. The life you live and the character you show over time are necessary for effective leadership down the road. Be committed to demonstrating that kind of character regardless of your level of responsibility now, and then lead out of that character when the time comes.
