Parenting and leadership wisdom from Joshua

Now that the Lord has given the land to Israel, and taken Joshua off of the battleground, the rest of the book (chapters 13-24) focuses on Joshua’s leadership as he establishes the house of Israel.  His role shifts from Patriot to Papa, and he does it brilliantly.

Joshua 22:1 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. 3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. 4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

Parents/leaders raise ‘em up, and send ‘em out. It’s what they do. That’s what Joshua’s doing in this text.

“OK, you’ve done well, you’ve learned well, you’re ready to go do this on your own.  Remember the law of the Lord, stick to your foundation.  I bless you.  Go!”

My parents did this well.  I felt blessed. Sent. Released.

It’s hard to let go.  It’s even harder to let go and not meddle.  If you meddle, it shows that you don’t trust.  My parents are funny about this. They’re determined not to meddle.  If I want their take on a personal matter I have to ask for it directly. They’re honoring the fact that I’ve been raised, they’re trusting that they’ve done well.

They’re actively believing that the word of God is true: Proverbs 22:6, “ Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Not easy.

Provided their going is honorable:

Please, please, please, don’t send out your children (or the people you lead), without giving them your blessing.  Not your permission, your blessing.  They need your blessing.  I’m an adult, I don’t need my parents’ permission to do anything.  But they are wise and they are honorable and I need their blessing.

What about you?  If you’re still trying to control your adult children or the people you lead, it’s evidence that you don’t trust them or your ability to raise them up.  Have you given them your blessing?  Have you honored their coming and their going?  If not, you’ve likely withheld that in order to maintain a modicum of control…it’s self-serving and sinful.  They need your blessing!