Inner Circle

The people closest to us determine our level of success. Moses learned in the wilderness that he needed good leaders next to him to carry out God's plans. When people decide to be leaders that is a very important line that they cross in their lives. They no longer can rely on their own discpline and abilities to get things done but now their value depends on what they can get done through others. Moses taught us some great lessons:

1. Vision: See the land. Moses saw and reminded everyone of what God had already done in their lives and on their journey. He showed how God would fulfill His promise. Moses could clearly see this outcome, and he motivated others by his vision.
Deut. 1:6-8 "The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 'Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 'See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.'"

2. Delegation: Shared responsibilities. Moses put aside his ego and shared the responisibilities with others. He gave them authority over their jobs and it now became a team effort.
Deut. 1:9-12 "I spoke to you at that time, saying, 'I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. 'The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number. 'May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has promised you! 'How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife?"

3. Leadership: Selection of the leaders. Moses chose the inner circle from among those qualified, approved, and appointed according to their abilities.
Deut. 1:13-15 'Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.' "You answered me and said, 'The thing which you have said to do is good.' "So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes."

4. Organization: he structured the leadership. Moses set up the system where the leaders could listen fairly, minister, make decisions based on principle, and any hard cases would still come to him.
Deut. 1:16-18 "Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 'You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.' "I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do."