Day 152 - Leaders Develop Other Leaders
Carley Sheppard
“Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.” – Exodus 18:17-18 ESV
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up!” – Ecclesiastes 4:9
“If you think you are leading and turn around to find no one following, then you’re just taking a walk.” - Benjamin Hooks
Leaders don’t just work to develop themselves; they develop others. They delegate and work well with others. John Maxwell calls this The Law of Empowerment (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership). Instead of hoarding our knowledge and gifts, we are to provide others with opportunities for power. We must trust both ourselves and others to get the job done.
Moses and his father-in-law, Jericho, demonstrate the art of delegation and team building. Jericho also serves as a model of how we should have Christian mentors in our lives. At the time, Moses had the most power in the group. God spoke directly to him, and then he delivered those messages to the group. Like Mordecai, Jericho is being honest about the situation. He lets Moses know that he cannot continue to lead alone because he will become exhausted (Exodus 18:18). He encourages Moses to find men who are trustworthy and hate bribes to be leaders of groups of various sizes (Exodus 18:21). He knows that Moses cannot do it alone. He needs teams to help him.
It is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We were made for community and to work together. If you, as a leader, aren’t serving or mentoring others, then you aren’t leading anyone. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, King Solomon talks about the importance of being with others. It is easier for an enemy to overpower you if you are by yourself. When there are others, they can help you in times of need. Therefore, as leaders, we are called to build teams and do the work together!
Next Steps
- Think about it: Is there someone in your life you could be mentoring?
- Think about it: Is there a task that you could benefit from delegating?
- Action Step: Find one thing to delegate to someone today. Remember: Delegating tasks does not mean delegating responsibility. You are still responsible for the task being completed, but you are not the one doing the work.
Additional Resources
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell