And That Was Enough
“Where’s Kate Middleton?”
For months on end, the question of the missing Duchess gripped major social media platforms, sparking a frenzy of speculation and concern. People scoured every corner of the internet and on the streets of the U.K for any sign of her, with reported “sightings” popping up on various posts—only to discover that these were merely her lookalikes. As her absence persisted, a flood of theories and rumors emerged, ranging from allegations of her husband’s infidelity with her best friend to sinister possibilities, such as the possibility of her murder from the royal family, drawing parallels to the tragic fate of the late Princess Diana.
Yes, this question set the internet ablaze with intrigue and speculation throughout her “disappearance.”
It wasn’t until a week ago that the trend quieted down when the Duchess finally broke her silence: she posted a video thanking everyone for their concern and explaining the reason for her disappearance which was due to her battle with cancer. This put an end to all speculations.
The royal family serves as the embodiment of leadership in the U.K., representing the oldest form of government: monarchy. Although they do not wield significant political power, they’ve maintained the crucial role of “Head of State” for the nation. This entails upholding constitutional and representational duties, including the endorsement of legislation passed by Parliament and their engagement in diplomatic affairs.
I couldn’t help but ponder the weight of responsibility carried by leadership figures, regardless of the extent of their actual authority. Leaders are subject to intense scrutiny in aspects of their private and public lives. All eyes are on them: their actions, words, and even gestures are meticulously analyzed, with any misstep magnified and potentially detrimental to their leadership. While occupying a position of leadership comes with numerous privileges, admiration, and elevated status, it also renders one highly vulnerable to the consequences of even minor errors. For example, the Watergate scandal, which led to President Nixon’s resignation in 1974, underscores how swiftly and severely a leader’s reputation and tenure can be jeopardized by a single misdeed.
It seems like the expectations placed on leaders are exceptionally high. People often seek leaders who embody qualities such as integrity, moral uprightness, competence, and the ability to make sound decisions. Essentially, they aspire for someone who appears almost flawless. However, striving to meet such lofty standards must be exhausting for leaders! They face constant pressure to maintain an impeccable image while burdened with the responsibility of leadership roles, which can take a toll on even the most gifted and capable individuals. It is a challenging balancing act to navigate while being resilient, self-aware, and having a steadfast commitment to serving others despite overwhelming demands.
Yet, a nation cannot survive without a leader, as history is replete with examples illustrating the critical importance of effective leadership for the stability and prosperity of the nations. The absence of leadership can indeed plunge a country into chaos and uncertainty, as seen in the harrowing experiences of Somalia and Iraq:
In Somalia, the prolonged absence of a stable government and leadership for 15 years (from the 1990s to the 2000s) led to a state of lawlessness and violence. With various factions vying for power, this has allowed pirate gangs, Islamist extremists, and clan militants to exploit the situation as they wreaked havoc and perpetuated instability throughout the country.
Similarly, following the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003, the country was left devoid of centralized leadership. As a result, the country went into turmoil as power struggles and violence erupted. Moreover, the disbandment of the Iraqi military further escalated the situation, creating a power vacuum that was exploited by terrorist groups such as the Islamic State, leading to widespread destruction and suffering.
These examples serve as important reminders of the indispensable role of leadership in maintaining order and safeguarding the well-being of a nation: a country without leadership is definitely at risk of faltering and descending into chaos. It seems like leadership is woven into the fabric of human society, the innate component for a collective body to survive.
It is safe to say that without proper leadership, humanity will crumble.
When I think of leadership, one of the earliest leaders in the history of the Bible, Moses, comes to mind. He is revered by the Jewish nation till this day, a beacon of faith by many, respected and admired for his faith and trust in God. Above all, he was fearless against life’s hardest battles.
While Moses had a lot of remarkable traits, I am most in awe of his leadership ability to rally and guide a vast number of people—about six hundred thousand men (not counting women and children) and a mixed multitude went with him across the Red Sea, along with their flocks and herd. With a crowd that was monumentally large, Moses essentially orchestrated an exodus of a huge nation! It is an extraordinary feat to govern a nation in itself, let alone lead an entire moving nation, shepherding them through a perilous journey to the promised land, navigating the complexities and challenges along the way—especially dealing with the on-going, constant complaints of the ungrateful people every single day.
When I learned about the challenges that Moses had faced, I had a deeper, more profound respect for his leadership because if I were in his shoes, I would have left those people right then and there—a powerful reminder that I need to persevere in difficult situations, to have faith in my dedication towards my responsibilities, to constantly look towards Jesus.
To compound the enormous challenge, Moses brought a nation of people who had long forgotten about God after spending generations immersed in Egyptian society. Their culture is far removed from their Jewish heritage, more akin to the Egyptians’ than their own. I could somewhat relate to Moses’ feelings when he was called by God at the burning bush to lead His people out of the land of bondage: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11. At that moment, he questioned his own worthiness for such a monumental mission. Perhaps he felt inadequate, wondering if there were others better suited for this seemingly insurmountable task. This paints a picture of his vulnerability with God—a reminder that even the greatest leaders may struggle with uncertainty and insecurity.
Yet, we serve a God who makes no mistakes.
Better yet, He equips whom he calls.
I could only imagine the turmoil that must have churned within Moses’ mind as he grappled with the monumental task laid before him by God. Despite his doubts and insecurities, Moses could not shake the weight of his past transgressions, including the manslaughter he committed in Egypt forty years earlier. How could a sinner like him lead a multitude of people out of the hands of the enemy? The memory of his past actions surely haunted him, and the thought of facing those people who had seen his wrongdoing may be even more daunting as they might still be alive forty years later. Furthermore, he has already distanced himself from the teachings and influence of Egypt for forty years! He had to revisit the land of his past sins—undoubtedly the last place on Earth he would want to go back to.
Yet, the God who saw and knew everything said, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12)
And that was enough.
When Moses was looking at his insufficiencies and limitations, God saw his untapped potential. While Moses focused on the present circumstances, God already saw the unfolding of the future. Moses was looking to his own ability as he grappled with the enormity of the task entrusted to him by the Lord, a task that seemed impossible for any human to accomplish alone.
Yet, when God is with him, who can be against him?
It required a lot of faith to walk in this path—faith to believe that God would fulfill His promises and not abandon them halfway. It demanded humility and strength to recognize God’s goodness and mercy, acknowledging that all success belongs to God when one is at the pinnacle. It necessitated a daily reliance on God’s guidance and provision rather than relying on one’s abilities; and it called for courage, the “all-in”, wholehearted commitment to journey forward, hand in hand with the Creator, overcoming the challenges of everyday life.
As Moses fully committed himself to God, they engaged in a great battle against Pharaoh, with one plague after the other unfolding before their very eyes. Guided by the Lord step-by-step, Moses obediently carried out His commands, despite the tremendous burden it placed upon him. With God as the chief commander, coupled with Moses’ faith and obedience, it resulted in one of the most significant victories in the history of mankind. It was a perfect partnership, with Moses placing his complete trust in God rather than his own understanding, ability, or charisma. To win the battle for the Lord—he depended entirely on God.
That was all that it took, and that was enough.
In the final battle with Pharaoh, as the children of Israel faced the wrath of his impending, charging army, their faith wavered as they began to blame Moses for leading them to their supposed graves (Exodus 4:11-12). Despite witnessing the miraculous intervention of the Lord through the ten plagues and reaping the benefit of obedience through His word (they were set free, and their firstborn son was spared), they quickly lost hope in the face of impending danger. In stark contrast, Moses remained steadfast in his trust in the Lord when he was faced with the same impending army as he reassured the people “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14.
Although Moses did not know the exact solution to their predicament at the time, he trusted that God had already planned everything out. All that was required of him was faith to cooperate with God’s guidance in His time.
Throughout his journey, Moses cultivated a habit of trusting in God. He demonstrated his faith and trust in God by obediently following God’s instructions and in this instance, waited on God for one. While the children of Israel were consumed by fear of the approaching army, they focused on the gigantic issue charging right at them. Moses, on the other hand, already saw a way out—hence he remained at peace, confident that God would deliver them.
That was the essence that set him apart from others. Unlike the Israelites, his eyes were continually fixed upon Jesus; thus, his faith and obedience allowed him to walk through the Red Sea as he led the Israelites through it, resulting in the salvation of millions of lives. As a leader, Moses’ unwavering faith and reliance on Jesus became a huge blessing for many. He demonstrated an important leadership trait as he did not panic or lose hope; rather, he was calm as he focused on problem-solving by seeking the Lord.
However, Moses was not perfect. While he faced numerous challenges during his leadership, he made a significant mistake that ultimately prevented him and the generation of Israelites from entering the promised land: in a moment of frustration, Moses struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as commanded by the Lord. This action stemmed from his emotion that overtook his obedience to God’s instructions. God intended to teach the children of Israel a great lesson about His provision of living water through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. This was illustrated in Exodus 17 when they first got out of Egypt, and Moses’ actions in striking the rock twice disrupted the picture in the earlier encounter. Moses’ lapse serves as a reminder of the weighty responsibility placed on leaders by God. They must adhere to divine guidance, even when their emotions tempt them to act otherwise.
Although Moses was not without fault, he stands as one of the most remarkable leaders in history. Over the course of forty years, he led a grumbling, disobedient, and ungrateful crowd through the wilderness, demonstrating immense patience and care for their well-being as he played the role of their shepherd. Through his cooperation with God, he facilitated countless miracles and led many to a deeper relationship with Jesus, reconciling of the them to God, allowing them to “taste and see that He is good.”
Indeed, Moses embodied Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,” which ultimately led to their greatest victory of all time. It serves as a powerful lesson that although personalities and gifts play a role, true leadership is surrendering to God’s guidance and wisdom. A leader who leans on his own understanding may find temporary success, but it is only through trusting in God’s guidance that they can achieve lasting impact and lead others toward true fulfillment and purpose. Ultimately, acknowledging our dependence on God’s strength helps us to stay humble and enables us to lead with humility, integrity and compassion, reflecting His character in all that we do.
