Scripture Passage for Today
Scripture Focus
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them.” (Numbers 16:24 NLT)
Observation
In his book Leading from the Inside Out: The Art of Self-Leadership, author Samuel Rima has significantly impacted my thinking about the necessity of leader’s wise management of his own emotions. Rima suggests that if Moses had managed his emotions more effectively—specifically how he processed them and how he expressed them publically—the Promised Land might well have been his to enjoy along with Joshua and Caleb. His observation, of course, grows from Numbers 20, and Moses’ decision to strike the rock to produce the water God promised, rather than simply speaking to the rock as God had directed. It does seem clear from the text that Moses was more filled with anger than faith when he acted!
This challenge of emotional management is tricky for me on at least two counts: First (on a personal note), I believe I grew up in an environment where emotions (especially negative emotions) were more often ignored than processed. When an offense was committed or conflict occurred it often went unaddressed (albeit usually in a genuine “forgive and forget” effort). Three decades after leaving home, I still struggle with how to effectively address legitimate offenses or resolve genuine conflict. Hey—after thirty years, let there be no doubt: That’s my issue, and I lay no continuing blame on the environment in which I was raised. I’m simply saying, for me, addressing conflict wisely is an arena where growth is still essential.
Second, our culture (rightly) values honesty and transparency. But the reality is, utter and unqualified transparency is not always prudent. (I’m convinced that’s so not just for leaders but for everyone.) I’ve come to believe that’s the issue here for Moses.
Emotions are what they are. They exist, and there’s little can be done to prevent them. Indeed, they are part of how God made us and who we are. What must be done is not to ignore them or internalize them, but to process them—to think clearly about them and assess wisely how to act with due consideration for them. Apart from the wise management of emotions, one moment of hot-headedness…whether it seems to us that it ought to or not…can destroy a lifetime of ministry. It did for Moses, and it can for me.
3 comments:
Pastor, don't you think for a man of action like Moses, speaking to a rock would be a hard thing to do anyway? I mean he was a man of action. He did stuff. He killed a guy once cause he was a doer. Maybe a bit quick to fly off the handle sometimes too. I am not trying to justify his doing what he did, but sometimes it is those kind of people that get stuff done. Moses didn't even want to talk to people let alone a rock. It's kind of like "Lord you are asking me something to do that You know I don't like to do". Yeah he should have done it. Its not like it would have been trying to move heaven and earth to speak to the rock. That darn pride anyway. Yes and emotions.
Yep emotions are a part of us which I deal with everyday with Gods help I can deal with anger etc. Maybe if Moses would have taken the time to think He could have done a differant thing instead of what He did. Taking the time to think and ask God what would you want me to do God and how would you want me to react is how I am going to do it today.
Good ol' Simon Peter demonstrated his "bull in the china shop" personality on occasion, but in later years it seems as if the Holy Spirit helped him temper that a bit and develop more "self-control" fruit. The loud and impulsive disciple became the apostle who wrote "live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." So, I guess there's hope! :) Us guys tend to identify more with this than ladies as anger seems to be the emotion of choice for men.
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