December 2010
Moses: The
Personification of Exemplary Character
 The
last three columns have focused on one of the greatest leaders of all
time. We considered Moses’ leadership challenge, the result as he built
a nation and finally, his visionary leadership. This month we consider
the exemplary character which allowed him to accomplish the vision.
Three of his strongest character traits were: compassion, humility and
integrity.
Compassion.
Moses was raised a prince in the court of pharaoh, yet compassion for
the Hebrew people moved him to kill the taskmaster who was abusing them,
thus relinquishing his royal position (Exodus 2: 10-15). Forty years
later he demonstrated his compassion by interceding with God on behalf
of the people even though God had promised Moses would survive and
father a great nation. Moses also revealed his commitment and passion
for God’s glory when he acted to prevent the Egyptians from having an
opportunity to malign God (Exodus 32:10-12). Moses was a leader whose
compassion caused him to put the needs of others ahead of his own.
Humility.
When God called Moses to lead the people from Egyptian bondage, Moses
responded with true humility when he asked,
“Who am I to go to
Pharaoh?”
Moses could not believe
he would be able to stand against the mighty Pharaoh. It is good he had
such humility or he never would have been able to stand the grumbling
and disobedience of the people for the next forty years. Moses exhibited
what leadership expert Jim Collins calls Level 5 leadership—exhibiting
extreme personal humility and an intense will. Numbers 12:3 says “Now,
the man Moses was very humble more than any man who was on the face of
the earth.”
Integrity. Moses had many
opportunities to compromise his integrity. The writer of Hebrews
(11:24-29) said Moses held to his integrity when he chose to suffer
affliction rather than enjoy the pleasures of wrongdoing. Integrity is
moral and ethical soundness. Daily we hear of those who lose the trust
of their followers because of flawed integrity. Moses, like another hero
of antiquity, Job (2:3), maintained his integrity in the face of
adversity.
Next month we will see how Moses was
a proficient master of implementing change. |
