How David & Moses Prepared The Next Generation

When David transferred the crown to Solomon, he spoke these final words: “Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.” (1 Kings 2:2-4, NLT)

David did not leave Solomon with instructions on how to be king, or what laws to pass, or who to have on his advisory counsel. There is no doubt he discussed these issues with Solomon at some point, but not at the end of his life. Above all, David was concerned about Solomon’s relationship with God.

Above all, David was concerned about Solomon’s relationship with God.

We see this with Moses, too. As he transferred his leadership to Joshua, his primary concern was not the priestly duties, or the Ten Commandments, or the division of labor among the camp. These were important to Moses, but far less than Joshua’s character: “Be strong and courageous… Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:7-8)

David and Moses produced two of the greatest leaders in the Bible, and yet the principles they passed onto their successors would never be found in a modern textbook.

How Paul Prepared the Next Generation

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reveals the five principles that he used to prepare the next generation of Christians for godliness:

Principle 1: Love Deeply

“Because we loved you so much…” (1 Thess. 2:8)

The world says that relationships should “work for you.” But Paul developed relationships with all kinds of people, regardless of their level of usefulness to him. He understood the words of Jesus: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Do our organizations teach this?

If love is the pinnacle value of the Christian faith, then it ought to be the most important message we communicate.

Principle 2: Share Generously

“...we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well.” (1 Thess. 2:8)

The world says that everything should be tracked and paid back, that a favor done is a favor owed. But Paul argues that, because of his great love for others, he was “delighted” to share generously with them. This includes time, energy, empathy, and money. As Christians, we should prepare the next generation to give generously, without expectation or demand. Jesus says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

Our organizations can be a great training ground for generosity.

Principle 3: Work Diligently

“Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” (1 Thess. 2:9)

The world has much to say about work. Some people have given their lives to it, and others find every reason to escape it. In either case, work is about the individual and their own advancement. But not for Paul. He did not work for himself. His priority was the gospel even while he worked, and he understood that by his work he would either help or hurt the receptivity of his message about Jesus.

Do our organizations help or hurt the gospel message?

Principle 4: Model Consistently

“You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless we were among you who believed.” (1 Thess. 2:10)

The world models efficiency and effectiveness, but Paul modeled holiness, righteousness, and blamelessness among the people. He was not Christ, but he tried to be like him.

Do our organizations teach people to be more like the world, or more like Jesus?

Principle 5: Empower Continually

“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thess. 2:11-12)

The world tells us to communicate for the good of the project. But Jesus shows us a different way. Through Paul, he encouraged the Thessalonians in their faith, comforted them, and urged them to live lives worthy of God. We have the responsibility and opportunity to do the same for one another.

The pastor of a struggling church once encouraged his congregants to say to one another, “I see in you…,” followed by a positive trait they saw in that person. A short while later, he observed a marvelous change. His once struggling church was flourishing!

Our organizations can flourish too when our people are empowered.

The Outcomes of Godly Preparation: Spiritual Influence

These five principles produce spiritual influence that manifest in the following six attributes:

1. Christlike Character → Christ walked in humility and holiness.
2. Christlike Competence → Christ did everything with excellence.
3. Christlike Communication → Christ said only what honored God.
4. Christlike Compassion → Christ treated everyone with empathy & grace.
5. Christlike Courage → Christ stood firm in the face of adversity.
6. Christlike Community → Christ brought people together into unity.

What if the next generation was prepared through our organizations to be like this?

“Come, Walk with Me”

Some may be wondering if this kind of preparation is even possible in a work environment.

The answer is yes.

I began working for Bob as an intern in 2018. At the time, I was 19 years old, and he was 68. Our relationship was not much different than anyone might expect. I worked hard, and Bob taught me what he knew. This went on for several months, until we encountered our first conflict. With fear and trembling, I told Bob how he had wronged me. He listened intently, and at the end of the conversation, he admitted his mistake. Through this experience, I realized that Bob was safe, and that he possessed a deep humility that I wanted; and he realized that he could learn a thing or two from me.

We saw our shared love for Christ and, all of a sudden, we were equals.

We saw our shared love for Christ and, all of a sudden, we were equals. I was no longer just his intern, and he was no longer just my boss – we were brothers, united together on the journey with Jesus. Shortly thereafter, we discovered Paul’s principles in 1 Thessalonians 2:8-12 and began to apply them to our relationship. We worked together for seven years, and in that time became deep friends. We are passionate about this topic because we have seen its impact in our lives, and we believe it is available for all of us.

Our book, Come, Walk with Me (Baxter Press, Jan. 2020) was the project that God produced from our first conflict. If you would like to read it, click this link and enjoy a free e-copy as our gift to you.

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Bob Snyder, M.D. is founder and President of IHS Global which equips believers as intentional witnesses for Jesus. He practiced emergency medicine for more than 15 years before entering full-time ministry. (ihsglobal.org) Tyler Hallman is the Founder of Blank Page Group LLC, an insight consultancy providing leaders with the wisdom to confidently make good decisions.

 Learn more about Outcomes magazine.