Ask Dr. E: Is there a leader that sets the example for all of us to follow?

OPINION:

Dear Dr. E: I am studying leadership in grad school right now. I’m curious, do you have a key leader you look to for inspiration? Is there a model leader that you believe exceeds all others and sets an example all of us should be following? – GRAD STUDENT FROM OHIO

Dear Grad Student: One of my favorite examples of leadership comes from the Old Testament story of the prophet Joshua, who inherited the mantle of leadership upon Moses’ death.

As Joshua stood before the Israelites, he surely had some doubts. Now that Moses was gone, what would the Israelites do? Would they respect him, or would they rebel? If the best predictor of future behavior is always past behavior, Joshua must have understood there was only a slim chance that his countrymen would choose to follow him. After all, if Moses himself had a tough time keeping this unruly bunch together, what chance did he have?

But despite the odds being against him, Joshua refused to compromise. He was not interested in a middle way. No, rather than trying to build coalitions, Joshua stood before the crowd and called on the people to make a choice. He challenged the nation: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve!”

Joshua’s clear message was that the time had come to make a decision. He demanded that those willing to follow him stand for something. He expected them to be “bold and courageous.”

But Joshua knew he had to set an example. He had to lead. He was obligated to talk the talk and walk the walk. He had to be willing to practice what he preached. He had to be a man of integrity.

So, rather than just issuing the challenge, Joshua revealed his character. He showed he was willing to take a stand. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” he bellowed.

Joshua didn’t wait to see what others were doing or what they would choose. He didn’t allow his decisions to be influenced by the whims of his peers or the whispers of politicians. He spoke with courage, clarity, and conviction. Come hell or high water, he had made his commitment.

This is leadership! It’s what our neighbors and our nation need to see. Our culture and our world are begging for it. Leaders lead. They are committed, they have conviction, and they don’t compromise.

If you want a model of leadership, look to Joshua. Make a commitment to the one thing you will never compromise. As the Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth, “Be steadfast and immovable.” Don’t equivocate. Have the courage to march forward in the face of adversity. Give people the confidence that you will never turn back, and you will be amazed at how many will gladly follow.

Conviction and commitment set true leaders apart from the multitude. More from Saint Paul: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Leaders stand for something. When people look at you, let them know they need never second guess who you are, where you are going, or what you represent. Leaders don’t change their minds with each passing political fad. Leaders don’t reverse course just because they feel like it.

Leaders know there is no reason to look back and stop fighting for what is right.

The fight for truth and righteousness will not end anytime soon. Failing to enter the battle, failing to stand firm, and failing to lead with unremitting conviction and courage is guaranteed to end in compromise rather than success.

A person with no set standards takes to beliefs and opinions like Jell-O being nailed to the wall. The convictions he professes will never stick. Such a person is a “child who is tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching [and] influenced by people who try to trick him with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14).

Leaders like Joshua make a decision and don’t turn back. They don’t compromise. Like Martin Luther, they shout, “Here I stand; I can do no other.”

You can nail 95 theses to a wall and change the world. You can’t nail Jell-O to much of anything.

If you are seeking guidance in today’s changing world, Higher Ground is there for you. Everett Piper, a Ph.D. and a former university president and radio host, takes your questions in his weekly ’Ask Dr. E’ column. If you have moral or ethical questions for which you’d like an answer, please email askeverett@washingtontimes.com and he may include it in a future column.