A meeting took place in a clearing in the woods to nominate a new leader of the forest. All the animals gathered, and the first to speak up was the lion.
“Obviously, I should be the king of the forest because I’m the mightiest beast.”
Next, a little bird stepped forward, and in her little voice, she said, “I should be the queen of the forest.”
The lion laughed and said, “How can you compete with me?”
And just then, the lion gave a demonstration of his power. He leaned back on his hind legs and gave a mighty roar reverberating many miles through the vast forest.
Now, it was the little bird’s turn to show the forest animals what she could do. And she slowly and softly began to chirp a little song, and then another, and another until all the birds in all the trees in all the world joined in. It sounded like a magnificent symphony, and it gave each and every creature endless joy.
The singing of the birds traveled further than the roar of the mighty lion, and the forest animals held their election. Everyone agreed. Even the mighty lion decided that the tiny bird should be their queen from that day on.
There are two ways to lead. One with fear and might, and the other with beauty and delight. Moses was such a leader. One who never used his power to suppress the Israelites. He did not rule like a powerful monarch whose power is gone upon death. He came down from Mt. Sinai singing the song of God, and all the people joined in. The Lord God puts a song in the heart of every living thing. The magic of melody reigns supreme throughout eternity.