LIFE TRANSITIONS, PART III

Moses, Egypt, and the Dynamics of Change

Change is happening all around us. It seems like we would be adept at dealing with it. The problem is that we spend a lot of time navigating change and so little time studying it. Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8:32). What is the truth about change? What can Moses teach us about the dynamics of change?

changing places

 

I can spend hours and hours doing something and my skill will naturally increase, but if I don’t spend time reflecting on what I’m doing – critiquing and studying the task itself – then my abilities will go only so far.

 

Change is like that. You can get really good at navigating it, but until you understand what you are actually doing when you navigate it, you will be limited in your abilities to make change work for you. You will forever be in a reactive state as opposed to a proactive state. You will always be one step behind the change, never in front of the change.

 

Change vs. Transformation

First, you have to understand the difference between change and transformation. Change is what happens outside of ourselves as individuals and what requires us to adapt in order to survive. What happens within us as individuals is transformation. Human reactions that occur as a result of external changes are called transformation – feelings, resistance, attitudes, etc. Change can (and often does) happen overnight. Transformation always takes time.

 

Moses (at God’s command) brought massive change for the people of God – he led them out of Egypt. They had been there for 400 years. This was a huge change. It happened in a relatively short period of time. However, it would take forty years (and the passing of an entire generation) for transformation to happen.

 

The work of Moses was never really “change” – it was transformation. His original request of Pharaoh was not, “let my people go,” it was “let my people go worship their God” (Ex. 5:1; 8:10-11).

 

Dynamics of Change

Here are just some of the most critical dynamics of change to consider:

1. Maintaining Trust

Moses had to start by building trust. In some ways, he was an outsider. He was too Egyptian for some. He was too Midianite for others. He had been away from Egypt for forty years, so for many, he was an unknown quantity. He had to build and maintain trust. He worked at gaining the trust of both the Hebrew people and Pharaoh’s court.

 

2. Dialogue/Communication

Moses spent a lot of time talking. Although he claimed to be slow of speech – talking was the thing God called him to do. He talked to the people. He to Pharaoh. He talked to God. He talked to his closest leaders. He was in constant dialogue about what was happening and what needed to happen next.

 

3. Managing Expectations

Moses had to deal with the multi-layered and constantly changing expectations of the people. The Egyptians had certain expectations (make a certain quantity of bricks). The Hebrew people had expectations (food, water, shelter). His leadership had certain expectations (where are you devotions, time management, etc.).  Moses had to deal with all of these expectations.

 

4. Understanding Invisible Processes

Changing what is visible is the easiest part of the change process. Moses understood that he could change their location, but that they would still act like slaves, even a thousand miles away from Egypt. Changing locations did not change the people. There were dozens of hidden values, mores, habits, feelings that would ultimately need to change if transformation were to be achieved.

 

If the change process were an iceberg it might look like the picture below. Change is what happens above the waterline. Transformation is what happens below the waterline. Change is visible. Transformation is often invisible … and much more difficult.

 

dynamics of change

 

5. Conflict Management

Moses was constantly dealing with conflict. He was in a major battle against Pharaoh. It was a boxing match in which Moses stood toe to toe with the most powerful man on earth and round after round they traded punches. Moses had to deal with conflict on his own team as the Hebrew leaders constantly doubted Moses’ abilities. Conflict management is a constant process for the change leader.

 

6. Human Reactions

Moses seemed to understand that the people were going to react in certain ways due to the losses they were taking. Pharaoh was dealing with the potential loss of his slave labor force. He would not let go easily. The people were dealing with the loss of a way of life they had known for generations (400 years). In fact, the Egyptian way of life was all they knew. Moses was asking them to leave it all behind. They would not let go easily.

 

Nothing dies easily. A dominant culture does not die without a fight. Naturally, the people of the culture will react. There is a natural human reaction process when experiencing change. The change leader must understand this process and provide the space for it to play out in healthy ways.

 

loss curve

 

Change is coming and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. The only question is whether or not you will be transformed by the change into something better, stronger, more like Jesus. This is the work of the change leader — navigating the inevitable change in a way that brings positive transformation to the lives of people.