Yin Yang of Leadership & Servant-hood

Yin Yang of Leadership & Servant-hood

Many books talk about leadership, but leadership actually originated from servant-hood, and servant-hood gives birth to leadership. Leadership & servant-hood within a body must be balanced; otherwise, the body will become a tyrant or slave (I think I read this concept once from a book written by Dr. Arnold Yeung - 楊牧谷博士) - former profile is a result of over-leading, and the later profile is a result of under-powering.

Moses was a leader to Israelites on freeing from Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and judging on matters among God’s people. Please note that a leader never take ownership of his/her followers. Taking ownership of people is destructive to a leader’s health (physical, soul and spirit). Ownership is on matters but not people. The provider is from God but not the leader, Moses.

Exodus 15:22-25

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

Exodus 16:3-4

The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you.

Exodus 17:3-6

But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink."

Plus more to leadership, articulate God’s law & order to people, for their well being (whether they choose to follow or otherwise).

Moses was also a servant to God’s people. Again, his master was God, and the people. He was not serving his own people, but God’s people. He serves God’s people daily and spiritual needs but he never served the people. If he served people, it would have been a disaster that all God’s people may be wiped out by God’s hand.

Exodus 32:19

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

If Moses were servant of the people, he would have followed the people to praise the golden calf idol instead of God. It would then be a disaster, as God would have wiped out all His people - many times that God has mentioned that to Moses, but Moses negotiated with God for their existence.

Exodus 32:11-14

"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

…

Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

From Moses’ acts, we can see the Yin Yang of leadership (not the ultimate provider) and servant-hood (not a compromiser of principles).