The modern era has specialized training institutes for every desirable field of activity. Whether it is honing one’s academic, artistic, musical or other sundry skills, there are a multitude of options available at one's disposal. However, the management institutes are the ones most sought after, as these are the training grounds for those aspiring to be effective communicators and dynamic leaders where they will be adequately equipped to take on the challenges of the competitive environment.

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Centuries ago, God himself trained a man to be an outstanding leader of his people, the Israelites, without sending him to any management school. To accomplish His divine design in the history of mankind’s salvation, he did not cherry-pick an eloquent speaker as one would expect, but one with a speech impediment- Moses, famous in biblical history as the great deliverer of the people of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians.

As far as leadership was concerned, Moses seemed to have been brought up in an ideal environment. Being the adopted son of the Egyptian princess, he was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds. (Acts 7:22) But God had a special leadership in mind for Moses for which he needed suitable training.

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When Moses matured into manhood, God began stirring his heart. Probably up to this point, Moses must have lived an isolated life insensitive to the sufferings of his fellow Hebrews. His dormant faith being freshly kindled, there was a new passion burning within him. He wished to relieve his people of their sufferings by liberating them from the cruel oppression of the Egyptians. His faith in the messianic promises of the Patriarchs spurred him to forsake everything he had erstwhile held dear - the opulence of the palace life, sensual pleasures, even his position and dignity as an Egyptian prince!!

Hebrews 11: 24-26 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 

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Once on his visit to Goshen, he had a firsthand encounter of the oppression faced by his Hebrew brethren. Driven by rage, he instantly killed the Egyptian responsible for ill-treating a fellow Hebrew. His action proved futile as Moses did not receive any backing from his fellow-men; on the contrary he ended up incurring the wrath of Pharaoh. Thus cornered, Moses has no option but to flee the palace and seek refuge in the desert of Midian as the Egyptian ruler immediately issued instructions to kill him.

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Although Moses’ intention to rescue his persecuted brethren was no doubt honorable, his solution was not. Moses could not foresee beyond their immediate deliverance. God on the other hand had a superior plan; he intended to form the liberated people into a holy nation by establishing a new covenant with Moses as the mediator. God wanted Moses to be his chosen instrument through whom he would communicate his divine laws to the newly formed nation of Israel and thus prepare them for the coming of his Son Jesus. By humbling Egypt which had reached the heights of arrogance and idolatry, God wanted to display his omnipotence and his sovereignty through Moses his appointed leader.

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For the next forty years, God employed a practical approach to train and mold Moses for the remarkable mission ahead. There were lessons that Moses needed to learn before he could handle the role that God had ordained for him. The desert of Midian was the perfect training ground where Moses would learn the following lessons.

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1. Lessons in patience- As an Egyptian prince, Moses could command his authority in the royal palace with a snap of his finger. Making him a shepherd was the step in the right direction of developing the precious virtue of patience!! One day, Moses would be required to deal with a multitude of people akin to a shepherd tending a sizeable flock. The Israelites would need a leader who would patiently stir them back on the right track whenever they strayed from their divinely destined path. Subsequently, we read in the book of Exodus, how often the Israelites grumbled, murmured and even rebelled against Moses! (See 14:11, 15:24, 16:2, 17:3). The lessons in patience would have undoubtedly come in handy during those trying times!!

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2. Lessons in humility- Moses had grown up in an ambience which revelled in materialism and social superiority whereas God desired the virtue of humility to take root in him. It was essential to cleanse him from every trace of pride in his heart. From a prestigious position of a royal prince, Moses was assigned the humblest task of managing sheep. Eventually, when the time came for Moses to be sent on his mission, Moses asked God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ (Exodus 3:11). Moses considered himself unfit for such a humongous task. As a matter of fact, The Bible claims that there was no one surpassing Moses in humility. (Numbers 12:3)!!!

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3. Lessons in endurance- Being raised in the lap of luxury, Moses was unaccustomed to hardships. The wilderness being the domain of his future ministry, he needed to get acclimatized with the perils associated with desert life; extreme temperatures, chronic thirst and meager resources. During the forty years of desert wanderings, the Israelites constantly complained of want (Exodus 16, Numbers 11,20) whereas Moses showed tremendous endurance in putting up with the hardships of the journey having got habituated to a simple way of living.

 

4. Lessons in obedient service- In the palace, Moses had a slew of servants to cater to his minutest need. God wanted Moses to be wholly available at his disposal so that the transmission of the divine laws to the Israelites and the construction of the tabernacle would proceed precisely as per the given directives. And for that, Moses needed to cultivate the attitude and mindset of a servant. By tending to his father-in-law’s sheep for forty years, Moses gradually got into the role of obeying instructions rather than issuing them. We read in the biblical narratives how Moses, as a faithful servant, diligently complied with God's commands although he may not have fully grasped the spiritual significance behind God’s meticulous instructions (Exodus 40:16, Leviticus 8:4, Numbers 17:11, Joshua 11:15).

 

5. Lessons in love- The toughest lesson was caring for creatures who would hardly reciprocate his feelings. But the forty years of close association with the sheep so totally transformed Moses’ outlook that he eventually started empathizing with their vulnerability and helplessness. Looking at the congregation of Israelites must have reminded him of the vast flock he had once cared for. Years later, Moses became their greatest intercessor, pleading to God on multiple occasions to spare them from destruction and was even willing to die on their behalf (Exodus 32:9-14,30-32).

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Reflection-

 During the forty years that Moses spent in the barren land of Midian living an obscure, monotonous life, God had not forgotten him. In reality, God was preparing Moses for a great destiny. Moses needed to undergo a complete interior transformation so that his impetuosity could be replaced by forbearance, his pride with humility, his intolerant behavior with fortitude, his autocratic tendencies with submission and his indifference with tenderness.

 

Likewise, God permits times of pruning in our lives who have accepted his call of discipleship in order to remove the rough edges of our personality and to cultivate the necessary spiritual skillsets for service in God’s kingdom. Instead of viewing these times as God’s punishment, we must regard it with the right spiritual disposition. Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

 

So let us not despair when we face tests and trials of various kinds rather let us consider it joy for the testing of our faith produces endurance;  and let endurance have its full effect, so that we may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing (See James 1:2-4). One day, we too will emerge as special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21).

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And may the lessons that you learn and the plentiful fruits of the Holy spirit that you bear during your training in leadership equip you to become worthy compassionate leaders of the flock that God will eventually entrust to your care.

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