Jump Start # 1793

Joshua 24:15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Yesterday, we wrote about leadership not being a democracy, especially in the home and in the church. Another crucial aspect of leading is being decisive. The lack of knowing what to do or unwilling to take a stand will put leaders in the position of polling the congregation to see what they want to do. The danger in that is most times the results are divided. Not everyone agrees. Then what are the leaders to do? Whatever they decide, some will be unhappy.

Our verse today shows Joshua made up his mind. He knew where he stood. Agree or disagree with him, he was taking a stance. This is essential in both the home and in the church. Too often parents will say it’s time for bed and the kids cry, fuss and complain. They beg to stay up just a little bit longer. Let us just finish the show. Weary parents, wanting to avoid a nuclear war with the kids, will let them stay up. On the surface, no big deal. But if not careful, this will happen the next time, and the time after that. The kids soon learn to pitch a fit every time they are told to do something that they don’t like. If you don’t believe that, go to Walmart on Saturday morning. It’s a real circus with whinny kids and frustrated parents and no leadership.

Whinny kids are not much different from whinny church members. They complain to their favorite elder and pressure and pressure him until he goes against what was already decided. Instead of drawing a line in the sand and agreeing with the direction that has been determined, the weary and frustrated elder has second thoughts. He wants to go back and reverse what was already decided. The real reason is not his conscience or some Biblical principle that he forgot about. Most times, there is a whinny member who has to have his way and the elder lacks the leadership ability to stand up for what was decided.

Leaders must be decisive. They must take into an account what is best for the group, whether it’s the family at home, or the church family at the building. They look at what the group needs. They have a heart that cares for them. But in the end, they must take the lead and lead.

The image God gives us of leading His people is that of a shepherd. The shepherd walks before the sheep and they follow him. He knows where he is going. He has thought out where they need to pasture and what is the best way to get there. A leader who doesn’t know where he is going, will be turning around often. Confusion will fill the ranks and soon people will no longer trust his judgment. “He doesn’t know what he is doing,” ought never to be said of any leader.

The literal shepherd in ancient Israel, had to factor in the little lambs who couldn’t travel very far. He had to think about the old lambs who got weary often. He had to think about the pregnant ones and the strain that traveling would have on them. He would think about the flock. He would think about the safest route and how often they needed to stop. For the shepherd himself, he might easily be able to walk a dozen miles that day. But some of the sheep couldn’t keep up at that pace. This is what the shepherd has to consider.

Spiritually, not everyone in the flock, the church, is at the same place that the shepherd is in faith and spiritual knowledge. He has to consider that. What he might be able to do, others can’t. There are some who could sit for hours upon hours and listen to deep, detailed textual studies. They would be thrilled. Others, would be so lost, confused and weary that they might think about dropping out. So, what the flock needs is often not the same thing as what the shepherd needs.

Decisive—that’s hard to do. Undecided seems to be the largest segment in every election. They don’t know. They haven’t made up their minds. The most asked question every Sunday is, “Where do you want to go to eat?” It is usually answered with, “I don’t care,” or, “I don’t know.” Make a decision.

The decisions, both at home and in the church must be made with the word of God in mind. That’s first. What does God want us to do. That settles many questions right there.

What works in some homes and in some congregations may not work for yours. Wise leaders has to know the heart of his people and what is best for them.

Being decisive means there may be some who do not agree with you, nor like your decisions. This is especially true in the home with kids. They always have a different suggestion than what the parents decide. The parents often have to be the bad guys. The same is true with the shepherds in the church. Leaders can’t cave-in to the threats that come their way. Some will threaten to leave. Some will threaten to undermine what has been decided. That can’t change what has been decided. In the home, some strong action, in the form of discipline may be necessary. In the church, the word is rebuke, but the outcome is the same. God has never taken to rebellion against His leaders. Ancient Israel tried a mutiny against Moses. It didn’t go well for them. The Corinthians tried to undermine Paul’s authority. It didn’t go well with them. Alexander, the coppersmith, harmed Paul. It didn’t end well for him. Taking cheap shots at the leaders is wrong. Taking negatively behind their backs is wrong. It breeds division and anarchy.

Being decisive is one reason why some would not make good leaders in the church. They can’t decide. Or, if they decide, they can be talked out of their decision. Leaders who cannot decide will soon be following the church. Instead of shepherds leading the flock, the flock leads the shepherds. What happens is that the shepherds become “yes men” to the church. The church decides. The church sets forth the path that they will follow and the leaders simply give their ok. This is not God’s arrangement. Because of experience, wisdom, faith and knowledge, the shepherds are in the position to lead. They need a fire in their belly and a backbone to stay the course that they have decided.

History has shown churches that followed a progressive spirit that took them away from God’s pattern, often times because the leaders stood back and allowed it to happen. “It’s what they want,” doesn’t cut it. Try that at home. The kids will be eating cake and drinking pop for breakfast. “It’s what they want.” I’m sure it is. What they want and what they need are not the same. It’s time for parents to parent and shepherds to shepherd.

Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He knew. A line was drawn in the sand. He couldn’t be talked out of that decision nor pressured to back away from that position. He was decisive.

Are you?

Roger