Qualifications For Leadership
In Chapter 1:13, we see Moses giving advice concerning the type of leaders he selected for Israel. I want you to see the three qualities he looked for.
- Wisdom
- Discernment
- Experience
The first requirement was wisdom. Wisdom is different from knowledge. Knowledge comes by study. So those who have clever brains excel in this.
Wisdom comes by going through many trials.
So those who are faithful excel in this. Wisdom is the application of knowledge to practical situations in life. You may have a lot of Bible knowledge, but no divine wisdom. The book of Proverbs places a great emphasis on acquiring wisdom-not on knowing Scripture, but on knowing God. The Bible is a means by which we get wisdom and know God. A lot of people who study the Bible acquire knowledge. But the tree of knowledge brought death. Knowledge puffs up (I Corinthians 8:1). The tree of life brings wisdom that teaches us how to live and how to react to different situations in life. So wisdom is the first requirement for a leader.
The second requirement was discernment. This is one of the greatest needs in leadership today-the ability to discern between what is godly and what is human- not between what is Godly and demonic, which is easy, but between that which is of God and that which is of man, between that which is spiritual and that which is soulish.
Sometimes people say, Well after all we are only human."
But Paul rebuked the Corinthians for "walking like mere human beings
"For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" (I Corinthians 3:3) We shouldn't be behaving like mere men. We should be walking like Jesus Christ. "He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk, even as he walked." (I John 2:6). It may be easy to discern between spiritual man and a carnal man-one who is living in sin. But we must be able to discern whether the man is speaking from his heart or from his head. What comes from a man's head will only go into other people's heads. But what comes from a man's heart will go to other people's hearts. Jesus always spoke from His heart. We must learn to speak from our hearts. The Bible was written for our hearts, not for our heads. The psalmist said.
"Thy word have I hid in my heart (not my memory) that I may not sin against Thee. (Psalms 119:11)
The third requirement was experience. You may acquire much wisdom even when you are young. You may even have discernment. But you still need experience to be a godly leader-and that takes time. Experience comes through being crushed in different trials and tasting God's power and and encouragement in those trials (2 Corinthians 1:4)
The strength we receive through trials is what gives us a ministry to others.
Moses then warns the judges not to show partiality but to hear the small and the great alike (verse 17). "You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God's. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’" This is a very important requirement for leaders. Never flatter the rich.
For the any board you may have in your Parish, always appoint spiritual men not influential men.
This is the way it should be done in any Parish.
"You shall not be intimidated by anyone" Moses told the leaders (Verse 17).
If you want to be a leader you should not be afraid of any man.
