When Israel left Egypt, God asked them to make a Sanctuary where they came to worship. Managing the community of Israel in the wilderness was not a small task. The Sanctuary was as complex as its services. The Bible tells us how Moses managed the people and the worship services.
Exodus 18:21 (NIV) – But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain —and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
Moses followed the advice of his father in law. He appointed leaders who would manage people at all levels. He devolved power. That is how God helped him manage the people.
If you have many people you are in charge of, have leaders under you who will manage sections of those people. Devolve power and services. Empower the people under you.
That is how we manage people. How do we manage complex processes and services like those in a Sanctuary? Sometimes it’s not about the people. Sometimes the complexity is in what needs to be done. How did Moses manage the complexity of Sanctuary services?
1 Chronicles 9:22 (NIV) – Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer.
Gate keepers were assigned this duty. Assign specific duties to specific people. That becomes their only assignment. They give it all their best attention.
In a place with complex processes and assignments, break the responsibilities into specific specialties and assign people to handle them. Moses chose guards to handle security matters only!
1 Chronicles 9:25-26 (NIV) – 25 Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. 26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God.
Other people could help with guarding the Sanctuary from time to time, but the appointed guards were fully responsible. Have someone accountable. Many people can help in a task but there should be someone who is held responsible.
There were four principal guards who were held responsible for the safety of the Sanctuary. Each was in charge of either east, west, north, or south. Other people came to help them, but they were held responsible for whatever happened in relation to security.
We only succeed if someone is held accountable. If there is confusion on who is responsible, many things can and will go wrong. Everyone can’t be in charge of everything. Specific people should be held responsible for specific tasks.
1 Chronicles 9:28 (NIV) – Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out.
Record keeping is critical. Accounting for assets. Accounting for everything that comes into the store. Accounting for everything that leaves the store. To ensure nothing is diverted or lost.
Records ensure that someone is held responsible for loss. Records deter thieves. Records inform decision makers on how to budget resources. Without records the project is doomed. The project is as good as the records accurately kept.
1 Chronicles 9:29-33 (NIV) – 29 Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices. 30 But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. 31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. 32 Some of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table. 33 Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.
The secret of success was that different people were assigned different and specific tasks. They specialized in those tasks and excelled in them. Bakers, musicians, etc. Not everyone could do these tasks. Experts were chosen and given responsibility.
Assign the work to experts. Some duties require expertise. Train people. Assign people who know the job and how it is done.
Moses succeeded in leading people for forty years and managing complex duties. He shared the work with other leaders and empowered them to work. He didn’t centralize power to himself. He decentralized leadership and trusted those leaders.
Moses shared the complex processes of the Sanctuary with others. He broke the system into specific areas and duties and put people in charge. Records were accurately kept and persons were held responsible. Areas that required experts were given to experts.
May this wisdom help us as we lead people and serve in complex situations. May we excel like Moses. In Jesus’s name, Amen!
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