You don’t have to be a political scientist to be able to dissect the woes of the nation. Even in beer parlour debates, there is the consensus that leadership accounts for the bulk of our problems. In a recent trip on ministerial duties, one of the men in our church accompanied me. Discussions soon focused on people who have the responsibility to govern the land. He informed me of how the caretaker Chairman of a local government was reluctant to pay workers’ salaries. I was so sure that the Chairman would have no delay whatsoever in paying his salaries and allowances. This is not an isolated case; it is typical of the type of people we have in power at all levels of government. We have leaders whose goal is self-aggrandizement.

Joshua demonstrated authentic leadership. From when he took over from Moses, he focused on his assignment to possess the land and distribute it by lot among the children of Israel. He did not try to appropriate anything for himself. Our text reveals that it was after everyone got their inheritance that the children of Israel turned round to give him an inheritance out of their portion. The next verse gives us the exact location of the land given to him; it was in Timnath-Serah in Mount Ephraim. The word “Timnath” is interesting; it means that which remains. A good leader may be first in service, but he waits to be served out of only what remains. Turning this biblical principle of leadership on its head is what has almost destroyed our nation. Our redemption only lies in selfless leaders after the order of Joshua. All well-meaning people should pray for their emergence to turn things around.