An intriguing occurrence took place in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. Moses held a shepherd’s rod in his hand when God called him to become a deliverer for the Israelites. That rod would later serve as a symbol of authority through which God performed numerous signs and wonders from Egypt all the way to Canaan.

In Exodus chapter 7, we witness God instructing Moses on how to perform miracles before Pharaoh. Moses’s rod was to be given to Aaron for the miracles. Thus, in verse 12, we now read of “Aaron’s rod,” not Moses’s rod, because Moses handed it over to him as commanded by God in verse 9.

When Moses’s rod was given to Aaron, God confirmed that Moses had become Pharaoh’s god and Aaron a prophet (speaker). Consequently, Aaron began to act with the authority Moses had bestowed upon him.

Here are a few lessons we can glean from this:

1. When a leader entrusts power or instruction to a follower and that follower embraces the instruction, it becomes as potent and effective in the follower’s hands as it was or will be in the leader’s. However, the effectiveness of that rod persists only while Aaron remains under Moses. If Aaron becomes arrogant and chooses to act independently with the rod, the miraculous manifestations will cease.

2. Moses recognised his speech weakness. It is crucial to identify what you lack. Although God rebuked Moses for consistently lamenting about his speech impediment (God is not unaware of human flaws, so when He makes a choice, your defects are factored in), He acknowledged that Moses was correct; Pharaoh might have ridiculed his stammering, and the Israelites may not have taken him seriously.

A leader should be aware of their limitations. Understand what your natural disposition has imposed as a limitation and be honest about it. Recognising your deficits and flaws is the first step towards personal growth.

3. Once acknowledged, you can seek ways to remediate those challenges. Learning can serve as a way to address that. Additionally, God can heal you of that impediment, knowing you need that tool to function effectively in leadership. Another approach to compensate for what you lack is to find someone who complements you. This was the case with Moses.

4. Moses appointed someone who filled the gap left by his weaknesses. He recognised that Aaron was articulate and capable of communicating instructions and ideas clearly, unlike himself. Consequently, he chose Aaron to counterbalance this deficiency.

At times, leaders select individuals who mirror their own skills, resulting in overlapping functions that add little value to the organisation. Unless you are transitioning to a new role focused on strategic planning and the overall vision of the organisation, selecting someone without added value is unnecessary. Opt for someone who complements your strengths.

5. Allow your co-leaders to shine. It is noteworthy that Moses was the writer of the Pentateuch, which includes Exodus. So, it was Moses, through God’s inspiration, who documented that it was Aaron’s rod that swallowed the rods of the Pharaoh’s magicians.

Moses did not strive to claim the glory rightfully belonging to Aaron. As a leader, learn to acknowledge your subordinates’ contributions. This should not be done solely in private; make it public before other staff and give full credit to him/her, even when you know he acted on your ideas. In the moment of success, it is his rod, not yours.

6. You remain the visionary. The fact that Aaron had the rod to work with did not absolve Moses of his leadership responsibilities as the visionary and director. God consistently spoke directly to Moses while Moses communicated the next steps to Aaron. At times, leaders delegate too extensively; they completely relinquish their roles as visionaries and oversight figures over their subordinates’ actions.

This often leads to the original vision becoming derailed because Aaron lacks direct communication with God to grasp all the details. Moses accompanied Aaron to Pharaoh and was always present when the rod was used for its intended purpose. Aaron was not acting on his own accord but executing what Moses instructed. It was still Moses’s rod handed to Aaron for a specific assignment.

Thank you for reading. Stay blessed.