Are You Replaceable?
2 Kings 2:13
"He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;"
One of the greatest needs in every generation is that a person learns to train someone to replace them. I was talking to a man who told me about a staff meeting that he was in when his leader stepped down. He told me this spiritual leader had been in his position for many years, but when he stepped down he said that there was nobody on that staff qualified to replace him. My immediate thought was that if this were true, then this man was a failure. He was a failure because he did not train anyone to replace.
When studying the life of Elijah, one of the greatest achievements of his life was that he trained an Elisha to replace him. Elijah was not so insecure that he wouldn't train someone to replace him if he left. One reason Israel was not without a prophet after Elijah went to Heaven was because he trained someone to replace him. He understood that life is not guaranteed, and that someone needed to be in place to replace him if the work was to continue.
One of the greatest leaders in the Scriptures was Moses. When you look at Moses' life, you would often say that the parting of the Red Sea or the leading of several million people through the wilderness were his greatest feats. However, I beg to differ. I believe the greatest feat that Moses accomplished was that he trained Joshua to replace him. Moses was not so insecure that he selfishly avoided training someone to replace him. He understood the need of being replaceable.
Great leaders are leaders who train someone to replace them. David trained Solomon to replace him. Jesus trained twelve men to replace Him when He went to Heaven. Barnabas trained Paul to replace him. The disciples made it their mission to train Christians to replace them. Throughout the Scriptures you will find that the great leaders had the philosophy of making sure that they trained their replacement.
Training someone to replace you has great benefits. One of the great benefits is that it will motivate you and keep you from becoming complacent. When you know that there is always someone who can take your place, that has a way of keeping you working hard. I find those who never train someone to replace them become complacent because there is no one to push them. Knowing that someone can replace you at any time will keep you from complacency.
Another great benefit of being replaceable is that your position will never be empty. Christian, we are not guaranteed that we have a tomorrow. God says in Proverbs 27:1, "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Because we don't know if we will be alive tomorrow, then we should train others to replace us when we are gone.
Furthermore, why should God promote you if you have not trained someone to replace you? I would think that God would be more apt to promote you when you have followed His command to bear fruit. Face it, bearing fruit is making sure that you are replaceable. Those who have prepared others to replace them are those who should be promoted.
Are you replaceable? Sunday school teacher, have you trained someone to replace you? Pastor, have you trained someone to replace you? Whatever your title or position, you should train someone to replace you. If you are not replaceable, then you have failed as a leader. Don't be so insecure that you are afraid to train someone to replace you out of fear that they will take your place. Training someone to replace you will only motivate you to continue to grow and do more for God.