It was 1981, and my brother James had just finished his freshman year in Bible college. He and three friends, Gary, Tom, and Jay, decided that they would go on a mission trip. They wanted to go to Alaska. They had heard David Munson’s stories of a summer of ministry in Alaska, and their imaginations were fired by the possibility. Wildlife, native villages, a huge road trip, and growing their beards out. It all excited four young men.
Tom readied a mid-70's model Chevy Blazer for the trip up the Alaska-Canada highway, through the wilderness and up to Alaska.
It was a May evening after the Bible college commencement. James and Tom had been visiting with friends a mile from our home. After dark, they decided to return to the college campus, complete their packing, and hit the road.
The night air had begun to cool as Tom led the way in his Chevy Blazer, down the Mount Carmel road. James followed on his 1970 Honda 400 motorcycle. They rounded the curve and passed Blue Bird trail and the high-water walking bridge that traversed the North Fork of the Kentucky River. Accelerating, they spanned the distance to the low-water bridge. Tom’s Blazer leaped forward in the straight stretch between the Mount Carmel Farm and WMTC radio studios. Not to be outdone, James opened the throttle on the old Honda.
The wind blew through James’ hair as he hurtled through the night air, helmetless. His motorcycle helmet had been stolen in Jackson earlier that week. As they approached WMTC, Tom hardly backed off at all as he rounded the curve at 70 mph. James was following closely and watched as Tom’s brake lights illuminated, and tail lights swerved.
That spring was a particularly bad one for broken fences. Cattle had been getting out, and farm workers had built and rebuilt fence lines. Unbeknown to James, a Black Angus steer had gotten out of the fenced in pasture and was lying down, sleeping in the middle of the warm blacktop of the WMTC curve on Mount Carmel road.
James’ eyes had been riveted upon the Blazer’s tail lights. By the time he realized there was a black mass in the middle of the road, he was upon it. He tried to swerve the Honda, but it was too late. His front tire collided broadside with the steer’s hind quarters. The motorcycle stopped, dead in its tracks. My brother, James, did not. He flew off the motorcycle, through the air, and landed another 40 feet closer to home. James landed in an upright, sitting position, hitting with such impact that the seams on his new Levi’s he had just bought at Rose Brother’s Department Store popped. As he slid, the asphalt burned a hole through his back pocket and the first layer of leather in his wallet. God’s angels spared my brother from certain death that night.
James went to ol’ Doc Maddox in Campton and had a few x-rays. Doc Maddox hated motorcycles. Doc found no broken bones on James that night. That night, it was a few scratches and one sore nineteen-year old young man who said goodbye to his family. He and his buddies were on the road to Alaska by midnight.
A Blazer led the way, and a Honda followed. Leadership. It’s my conviction that everyone has the potential for some kind of leadership. There are strong leaders and there are weak leaders, good leaders and bad leaders, wise leaders and foolish leaders, but everyone has the potential for leadership.
God called Moses to lead his people, the Hebrews, out of Egypt and into Canaan. Moses partnered with his brother, Aaron, to lead God’s chosen people; however, where Moses was strong, Aaron was weak. Consider the contrasting leadership styles of Aaron and Moses.
- While Aaron was a people pleaser, Moses sought to please God.
- While Aaron was compromising, Moses claimed God’s promises.
- Aaron performed the role of priest, but Moses demonstrated the character of intercessory prayer.
- Aaron feared failure, but Moses was fearless in the face of potential failure.
- Aaron rejected holiness God demanded of the Hebrew community, but Moses embraced holiness.
- Aaron embraced syncretism, blending true religion with idolatry, but Moses was a man of singular faith and commitment to the one true God.
- Aaron sought to save himself by blaming the people, but Moses sought to sacrifice himself to save the people.
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