The Handoff

“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Deuteronomy 34:9)

Most of us have seen a relay race at a high school track meet, or in the Olympics. Four people each run a lap to complete the race–but in order for the next person to take over, the baton has to be passed. Blazingly fast, incredibly talented teams lose races all the time because of a botched handoff. In fact, relay teams spend hours practicing the passing of the baton.

Deuteronomy 34 marks the end of 40 years of Moses’ leadership in Israel. Verse 10 states that there was never another leader like him. I think one of the things which distinguished Moses from others was his leadership handoff. Moses “laid his hands on [Joshua].” He had selected him years before because of his godliness, passion and leadership ability. Moses gave Joshua responsibility (see Numbers 13). Over the years, as Joshua’s understanding and ability increased, Moses gave him more opportunities. When Moses approached death, Joshua was ready to assume the leadership of the nation.

I know that we don’t all lead nations or even organizations. Yet, we do all have the responsibility of passing along what we know to others. Paul commanded it of Timothy (II Timothy 2:2). My question for you is this–who do you have in your life that you can pour into? A friend, a co-worker, someone in your small group? Take time today to involve them in what you are doing. Encourage them. Challenge them to walk closely with God. Share your experiences, your wins, your struggles. That’s the handoff.

-Pastor Mike