In these last few lessons on Joshua’s leadership it seems good to look at some leadership characteristics displayed by Joshua. Two areas where Joshua left an unmistakable mark on his countrymen were his courage and decisiveness. Read Joshua Chapters 13-19.

In Joshua chapter 1 when God commissioned Joshua he told him to be strong and courageous. Joshua’s courage and faith was immediately put to the test when three days after his commissioning he led the people into the Promised Land through the Jordan River at flood stage. For Joshua courage came out of faith. Because Joshua’s faith in God did not waiver he took action in the face of insurmountable odds.

The degree to which a Christian leader tolerates known sin in their own life or the operation of their team is the degree to which they separate themselves and their team from God’s grace and favor. Read Joshua 7:1-26.

I grew up with six siblings. My parents knew that what one of us did that they “viewed as good” would soon show up in the behavior of the others and what one of us got away with would soon affect the behavior of all seven. My mom seemed to have a “proverbial type” saying to fit every situation. One of those sayings was “One rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel.” In today’s world we don’t typically keep barrels of apples around the house so the saying could possibly be changed to “one apple, rotting in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator will cause all the other apples stored in that drawer to get soft spots and begin rotting.” (I do like my mom’s version better.)

Every leader will be faced with situations and decisions that demand courage. Just as God knows your current situation, He knew Joshua’s leadership situation. God knew Joshua’s need for courage and gave him guidance that would strengthen his faith. Read Joshua 1:1-9.

Joshua had some challenges that demanded courage in his leadership role. He had to contend with the military powers of the people living in the Promised Land, most of who had standing armies and professional soldiers who knew they were fighting for their homes and the survival of their families. And Joshua also knew he would be facing them with a partially trained and untested band of nomadic shepherds.

Miriam was Moses’ sister. Miriam is only mentioned a few times in the story of the Hebrew exodus from captivity in Egypt, but each time she is talked about in terms of being an influencer (a leader). Read Exodus 2:1-10; Exodus 15:19-20; Numbers 12; Numbers 20:1.

Miriam was used by God as an influencer from her childhood. When Moses was an infant and his parents had him placed in the Nile in a basket in hopes of avoiding the infanticide demanded by law, it was Miriam who the parents trusted to not only place him in the river at the proper place and moment so he would be found by Pharaoh’s daughter but they also trusted Miriam to make contact with Pharaoh’s daughter and persuade the princess to allow her to find a Hebrew nursemaid. Miriam had the courage to accept a difficult assignment and follow it through to completion.