No Average Joe Series-Part 3
Joseph of the Old Testament is one of my all time heroes. When we meet in heaven, I plan on spending a few thousand of my several trillion years talking with him…in Egyptian (just because I can). I’ll ask him about his coat of many colors. We’ll talk about Potipher because I think Potipher knew Joseph was innocent. I’d like to know more about dream interpretation. There will be much to discuss.
But one question that really bugs me is this: “Why, Joseph, did you feel compelled to tell your brothers about both of those dreams?”
In a simple reading of Genesis 37, it’s clear that Joseph made a mistake in telling his brothers not just one dream but two vivid dreams picturing his them bowing down to him. They already hated him because of that audacious coat he wore everywhere. Surely he knew the dreams would be salt in their wounds. Or did he?
If you’ve ever been amazed by the senseless mistake of a highly regarded hero, take heart. Great leaders make great big mistakes. Here are a few reasons why:
Heroes are human.
No amount of gifting, skill, or experience can completely insulate leaders from their humanity. Get used to it.
Heroes often lack honest critics.
Leaders have blind spots and need diverse, but trusted voices speaking into their lives. When that is not available or invited, disaster is certain.
Heroes struggle with insecurity.
Like Joseph, many leaders are confident in one moment and insecure in the next. Joseph wanted the affirmation and respect of his brothers, and allowed his drive to please people to overpower good wisdom.
Heroes must learn timing.
The dream is not the question. How and when to communicate the dream is. A good idea communicated at the wrong time will meet resistance. When leaders fail to understand their times or their timing, blunders await.
Heroes are optimistic.
Joseph was a big thinker. In his first dream, he was a sheaf in the field. Okay, they were all farmers. But in the second dream he was Luke Skywalker, king of the entire galaxy! The dream was real and it was real big, but Joseph was naïve regarding the ability of his brothers to receive the dream. When leaders share big dreams with small people bad things happen.
I’m no hero, and I’ve never had a dream of anyone bowing down to me…well maybe I have, but that’s not the point. On more than one occasion, I have blown it due to one or some combination of these five realities. And I know my failure disappointed others and hurt the cause.
But thankfully, as much as my leadership blunders may have surprised others, they never surprised God. And by His grace he actually used the mistakes to move me closer to Him and to remind me who the real Hero really is.
Most mistakes are avoidable, but some mistakes are inevitable. So when you or a revered hero stumbles, help each other off the floor and trust God with the next step.
Question for You: How has a leadership blunder actually helped you?
