Leaders Make Sacrifices – Part 1 of 2

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them … Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh. Exodus 7:6-7 Many leaders want to climb the corporate ladder, hoping that freedom and power wait at the top. They don’t realize that leadership really requires sacrifice. Leaders who want to rise must do more than make an occasional extraordinary effort. They have to give up their rights. That’s true of every leader, regardless of professional vocation or the personal arena (i.e., family life). Talk to any leader and you will find he has made repeated sacrifices. The higher that leader has climbed, the greater the sacrifices he usually has made. Effective leaders must sacrifice much that is good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best. Leadership demands constant sacrifice. It is an ongoing process, not a one-time payment. The circumstances may change from person to person, but the principle doesn’t: Leaders make sacrifices. What price are you willing to pay to become a more effective leader? Many leaders keep so busy pursuing their vision and rallying their people that they give it little thought. But leadership always requires sacrifice; no one achieves success without it. How was Moses able to give up so much and make such great sacrifices without growing bitter or resentful toward God? And what made him willing to return to Egypt as God’s servant after he had enjoyed the best that country had to offer? A quick look at Moses life shows how God molded him into an effective leader, willing to make the necessary sacrifice: 1. Moses was alone with God – for 40 years! Leaders in our day spend far too little time alone with God. Most seem continually on the go and rarely quiet themselves. If that description fits you, change your habits immediately. Set aside some time to be alone with God every day. Don’t force God to send you into the desert (for 40 years) to get your attention. 2. Moses was honest with God. By the time Moses met God at the burning bush, no trace remained of the cockiness that was prevalent in his previous life in Egypt. He knew his weakness. When God told Moses that he would bring the people out of Egypt, the humbled man replied, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Only as an older man, humble before God, could Moses be of great use to God. To be continued in tomorrow’s blogs… I’d love to talk to you personally. For more on help I can provide and how you can reach me, check out… http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com