Empowering Leadership 101 (Maxwell)

 

THE LAW OF PRIORITIES: PASS THEM ON!

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

​

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a]

 

5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

 

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

 

7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

 

8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

 

​

An old phrase says, “The leader’s job is to keep the main thing, the main thing.” Moses attempts to do this in Deuteronomy 6 by reminding the Israelites that their existence revolves around loving God. He also tells family leaders how to transfer truth to their children. Reggie Joiner notes the principles Moses develops:

​

1.  Relationship comes before rules (v. 5).

 

2. Truth must be in you before it can be in them (v. 6)

 

3. Each day offers natural opportunities for teaching (v. 7).

​

a. When you sit at home: meal time

b. When you walk along the road: drive time

c. When you lie down: bedtime

d. When you get up: get-ready time

 

4. Repetition is the teacher’s best friend (vv. 8, 9).

Make use of all of these opportunities. Decide on issues you can discuss and ask questions of each other. Pray about your priorities together.