Readings for today: Numbers 25-28
For years, I’ve harbored this dream of retiring as the church janitor. No big send off. No celebratory retirement dinner. No special recognition. Just a long, slow fade into the background. I hope with all my heart it happens and I’m actually making plans towards that end. Yes, I am still very much in my prime years of leadership. But time goes by fast and before you know it, I will come to the end. My preaching gifts will wane. My vision for the future will begin to fail. My influence will fade as it rightly should and when that happens, I must be humbly willing to take a step back. Let another take my place.
This is one of the things I love most about Moses. He knows he’s coming to the end. The closer they get to the Promised Land, the closer they get to end of his life and leadership because God has already told him he will not be allowed to cross over. So when they arrive at Mt. Abarim, God calls Moses to go up and see the land He has given to Israel. It will be the last thing Moses will see before his death. He will at that time be “gathered to his people” just like his brother Aaron. However, Moses loves his people. He doesn’t want them left without a leader so he asks God to appoint his successor. To raise up a man to take his place. And once again, God answers Moses’ prayer. He raises up Joshua and he is commissioned as Moses’ successor in front of all the people.
There are several things to learn from this passage about succession planning. First and foremost, none of us is irreplaceable. The Kingdom of God is much bigger than any one person. Second, we must humbly accept the fact that we will eventually decrease and another will increase. We will eventually fall and another rise to take our place. This is natural and good and right. Third, we should be preparing with this end in mind. Not holding too tightly to our position or power but rather plan for the day when we need to step aside. Fourth, we should be praying for God to raise up our successor. We should be praying for the man or woman whom God is calling to take our place.
As I said, I want to retire as the church janitor and I am already planning with that end in mind. Should the Lord be gracious to me, I might have another fifteen years in my current position. At that point, I need to relinquish my role as senior pastor and move into an associate role. I need to fade into the background and let another take my place. I need to humble myself under their leadership. Serve as their chief cheerleader. Do all I can to help them be successful. Then I need to fade even further. From ordained pastor to an ordinary staff position. Doing all I can to give my life in service to others. Decreasing as much as possible so others increase around me. Finally, after my physical and spiritual and emotional strength is spent, I can be “gathered to my people” and hear the words I long to hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Readings for tomorrow: None