Welcome to our fifth book, Deuteronomy. Whenever I hear that word, my mind flashes to a TV show called Psych and Shawn Spencer calling it Do The Right Thing. Sounds like good advice to me. Today, we read the first two chapters.
Age is irrelevant
We need to realize that Moses is one-hundred-twenty years old at this point of the Bible. It is easy to feel like our best years are behind us. We like to rest on our laurels and leave the earth shaking for the next generation.
Soon, we will read about the death of this outstanding leader, but in our opening chapter verse 4, we read he had just defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. Old does not mean decrepit. We see this today with President Trump.
I can only hope to age so well.
Moses’ time is ending, and he is told to appoint wise, understanding, and respected men from each tribe. God will anoint them as judges. These are three important qualities that mattered then and still do today.
To be wise
Wisdom is not just possessing intelligence. There are a lot of very learned people who have academic acumen. This does not always equate to wisdom. They can string together enough words to convince people of their ability, and this can make them dangerous.
Google defines wisdom in a few ways. I like this one best: the soundness of an action or decision regarding applying experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
It is that combination of experience, knowledge, and good judgment in action.
There are many who have experience. I have lived an incredible life and have experience in many things, but that does not make me an expert or qualify me to lead in all those areas.
I love learning and read a lot. This provides me with knowledge. Knowledge I feel can help me discern when something doesn’t seem right. But even in those situations, I have proceeded only to learn I should have listened to my inner voice.
Leadership requires action
I lacked good judgment. It’s crucial to have all three. There are many academic people who may possess all three attributes, and yet they remain on the sidelines as spectators. Connoisseurs of experience. Never taking action themselves.
A person with all three who will step up is a worthy leader.
There are leaders who inspire and leaders who disappoint. A good leader must also have Christ so that they take actions with love and compassion.
Verse 26 reminds us that ten of the twelve spies who went into the promised land refused to step up. This was rebellion against the Lord and they would never enter.
This is hard to comprehend since the cloud had led them by day and fire at night. They had everything provided for them along the journey. Still, their fear of the people with their walled cities was greater than their fear of the Lord.
Because of their fear, God became angry. He would only let Moses see the land, not enter it. We don’t hear Moses whining about this or arguing with that decision.
He takes ownership of his failure as a leader. He had not instilled in them the proper regard for the Lord.
Don’t get ahead of God
They went without God and were consequently defeated. Another valuable lesson. We get impatient and try to force things into our time frame. We need to move when God says move, and wait when He tells us to.
There were some tribes that God gave over to them. Others He warned them not to go up against. We must fight the battles which the Lord gives to us. To push our own agenda can end in disaster.
Then, in chapter 2:21, we hear there were other people as large as the Anakites who had already suffered defeat. We must not impose our fears on others, but maintain a healthy fear of God alone.
We read that when they moved with God; they destroyed all the towns they encountered, leaving no survivors.
The adage is there is nothing to fear but fear itself. I would say: there is nothing to fear but God. A God who loves you when you keep his commands.
