75. Leadership Secrets: 10. Joshua: Doing the Work

Last week we read where a leader gets his courage, from within and from without.

Today we want to remember that being a leader does not mean he sits on his behind and simply orders people around.

Some may call it delegation. Well that's true. But real leaders do stuff. Real leaders do the work. Real leaders have been there and done that, as they say. That means, they still need to get their hands dirty, going the tough road, not for its on sake, but also to be a beacon to the people. He says, let's do it, and the"let's" includes him.

When Joshua was given the task to take over Jericho (Joshua chapter 6), he was assured by God of the victory. However, that does not mean it would be just marching up to the city and just receive the keys to the city from the Mayor.

He and the people of God had to work at the victory.

Let's read the instructions from God in Joshua 6:2-5:

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

Now, while the instructions seem to be strange, it was still work to be done. Joshua immediately mobilised the people and carried out the orders.

Jericho was then delivered to the people of God.

Was that it?

Nope. Even though the promised lad was promised to Joshua, he had to work to gain every victory, every piece of land.

Lesson in leadership: There is no free lunch. A worker's job is to work. A leader's role is to lead, but work still needs to be done.