Abraham: It's Time For A Change

From its very creation, the world was filled with problems. Temptations from a serpent led to man’s disobedience of the law in paradise. Jealousy between brothers produced the world’s first homicide. Corruption at all levels of society brought about a devastating flood. The generation after the flood created cruel political power (The King Nimrod, the “first man of might on earth” – Genesis 10:8), and together they pursued political policies driven by selfish motives and self interests -- “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top to the sky, to make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). For ten long generations, the world was a large society lacking direction, vision and purpose. For ten long generations, the world was without an effective leader. For ten long generations, according to Pirkei Avot, God patiently searched for a leader.

Suddenly, after ten long generations of searching and waiting, God finally chooses a leader. What is remarkable about God’s choice is that given the enormity of the task facing this new leader, we actually know very little about him. He has no prior experience in leadership, and the first seventy-five years of his life were lived in relative obscurity. We do know that he comes from a father who sold and worshipped idols, and because of that, he chose to break away from his father at an early age. He lived for many years in search of his own identity, wandering from place to place. He traveled in many circles, some good, some not so good, and all of these experiences in his life – both positive and negative – seemed to give God a solid indication that this man possessed the qualifications for leadership that seemed to matter most to God – vision, courage and moral character.

In two striking words that almost sound like a campaign slogan, God finally charges this man with his first step towards leadership: “God said to Abram: Lech –Lecha – Go forth.” After ten long generations, Abraham brought God’s light to a world that was filled with darkness. He met with kings, participated in wars, brokered peace treaties, built economic strength for his community, all while experiencing trials of faith and even personal challenges within his own family. His tenure of leadership – like all other leaders – was far from perfect, but in the end, the legacy of Abraham was certainly one of change.