Choose Whom You Will Serve

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Great leaders have marvelous ways of helping ordinary people achieve the extraordinary.

First, they share the vision for the objective. What does it look like, what must they do, and even the alternatives.

Second, they challenge those they lead. They throw down the gauntlet, issuing a challenge to the people to do something they might not otherwise do.

Third, they lead by their own example. The most famous charges in military history were led by commanders who simply raised a sword and flung themselves headlong at the enemy.

Joshua does nothing less in his entreaty to the people. He tells them what they must do. Describes the alternatives. Issues the challenge. And then he leads by his example. “Follow me, this is the way. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”