Moses

Few people in history have suffered from as much frustration as Moses must have suffered. Here was a guy who was called by God, spoke with God, performed miracles for God, and yet people still challenged his leadership. People say that a vision casting talk only lasts 21 days before the people have to be reminded. Apparently that is also about how long it takes for a miracle to become irrelevant to people. Moses took people out of slavery, took care of them in the desert, and guided them to a land where every need would be met, but the people constantly complained and rebelled.

Leading people can be really hard whether you are a minister, a teacher, or even just an influential friend. The problem is that even if you are trying to take others to the promised land, going back to Egypt is always easier. Change is hard, and progress can be an uphill battle. When we experience the kind of frustration that Moses encountered, it is helpful to focus on the goal rather than people's responses. Imagine Moses having yet another meeting about going back to Egypt while the pillar of fire that God provided the people was burning in the background. People probably asked if Moses was positive that this is what God wanted them to do even as they passed through the Red Sea. Had Moses not maintained his communication with God, he may have been tempted to drop the staff while some of the people were still walking through the parted sea.

The thing is people are people. We all have our tendencies to be antagonistic, especially when we experience change or growth. While there are times when we want to just throw our hands up and leave people in the desert, God calls us to impact lives even when it is hard.