Be A Wonderful Leader For Others

Joshua 1:6

"Be strong and brave for you will be a wonderful leader of My people and they shall conquer all the land I promised to their ancestors." New Living Bible 

Be  a wonderful leader for others.

"She's surveying her domain."  This little dog thinks she's the pack leader.  She tells us (me and the other two dogs) when to get up and when to eat.   She defends her yard, behind the safety of the fence, from other dogs, humans and squirrels.  We call her the "feisty badger" because she fights back when the other two dogs pick on her. 

Why does this pint size dog believe she is the leader? 

§  She is persistent ( I actually call her annoying.  She will not give up.) 

§  She is confident. (Why else would she bark at the dog who outweighs her by ten times?)

§  She trusts in the authority of her human, Dick.  (When she feels unsafe, she wedges herself between him and the arm of the chair.  Only in that position will she allow him to be her protector.)

§  She believes her leadership will benefit her family.

Moses had died.  Joshua was the appointed leader.  He was to lead the conquest of the Promised Land.  This was it, the ultimate mission.  I imagine Joshua looking toward the long awaited home of  his people.  It had been a journey of many generations.  Perhaps he was overwhelmed or too excited to think.  There were still unknowns, still people to drive away, battles to win, giants to defeat.

God tells him to be strong and brave.  Logical words.  The surprise words in this verse were "you will be a wonderful leader."  Joshua may have had some human doubts but God tells him he will be a wonderful leader.  Those words would motivate me! 

God has given each of us our own little "pack" of people to influence.  We are left here with a mission to be a wonderful leader.  Where are we leading these people?  To God and His saving grace.  Aren't we glad God delivered and delivers us?  We tell others so they can join us.

To be that "wonderful leader"  I will

§  be persistent, in a non-annoying way

§  be confident, because God believes in me

§  trust the Creator of the Universe and My Deliverer (Why would I come up with a better  plan than God?)

§  benefit others, not just myself.(That's what will separate me from the world. Others will benefit, not just me.)