"Moses, My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving them - the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses."
Joshua 1:2-3 NKJV
One of the hardest things to do is, to be a leader - to take on the responsibility of a team or a company. Another hard thing to do, is to take on this role following someone's departure. People are people and many don't like change, and one of the things they dread is the 'New broom syndrome.' This is where leader's come in and make so many changes practically overnight, probably too quickly and, as I say, people don't like change.
Here we see Joshua being given the task of taking over from Moses. What a position to be in - to replace a giant of a leader. This must have given Joshua some fear. We see this as God tells him to be strong and very courageous and not to be afraid or dismayed. I think anyone in Joshua's place would be apprehensive about this task.
When new leaders come in, whether it be in a church setting or a secular one, people don't know what to expect and may have the attitude that says, 'We've always done things this way, there's no need to change things, it has worked well for ages.' But there comes a time when things need to be changed and this is where the 'New broom syndrome' comes in.
I remember a pastor some years ago, who was sent to a very problematic church. They had eaten so many pastors in the past and were reluctant to change. This pastor called a meeting, asking everyone to be there. He spoke very clearly and with authority saying, 'Right, I am your new pastor and this is what we are going to do. I want all of the elders and deacons to stand down. It's time for a change.' He went on to outline what he was going to do and ended with, 'Now, everyone who does not agree with my plan, I would like you to leave the church, right now' About 75% of the people left and he looked around and said, 'Right, now we can build our church.' And he did, he built it into one of the most powerful churches in the area.
This leader was not afraid to make changes. He new where the problems were coming from and he wisely wormed them out. This is the hallmark of a good leader. He was there to shepherd and so he got rid of the wolves.
When you are faced with new leadership, in the church or at work, give the person a chance, and room to work and you'll find that you will make progress. As for yourself, if you are a leader, respect the people and get alongside of them. As you do this, you will find that many of their fears will diminish and you too, will make great progress.
Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.
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