Numbers 11:17 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

Moses did not just hear the cry of the people. He felt the burden of meeting their need. He felt like a mother with tons of children. He sensed a desire and responsibility to serve the needs of those entrusted to him. This is a natural reaction of a leader. If you lead without the burden for the people you are leading then you are not a leader; you are a taskmaster or a manipulator.

Many people want the position of being out front, but they don’t want the pressure that comes with it. The Bible teaches that to desire a leadership position is a good thing. However, do not seek to lead unless you are willing to bear the burden and help carry the weight of responsibility. Leaders are held to a higher standard because you have to be present and available to carry the load. Where expectations are high and support is weak, the leader will eventually crumble under pressure.

Too many leaders, especially pastors, are carrying the load all alone because the other leaders in the body of Christ assume it is their responsibility to load the wagon instead of help carrying the load. Leadership means responsibility. If you would like to go higher in your leadership, the best way to do so is to find a leader and help lift his or her load. When you carry that weight successfully, they will then be confident to entrust you with more. As you carry the burden, not only do you receive more responsibility, you also receive more of God’s Spirit in you to accomplish His task.

Today’s Challenge: Realize that the body of Christ needs you. Your spiritual leaders cannot do all the heavy lifting themselves. God can use you to bear the burden. The moment you lift the load of a leader, something significant happens. You become a leader as well.