March 22, 2021
And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. Ex 18:22
As revealed earlier in this passage, Moses sent his wife and sons to live with Jethro. Was it because Moses knew he would not have time to care for his family given the mammoth task of leading over a million Israelites to the Promise Land? That would explain why Jethro sought an audience with Moses: that he might learn why Moses did not have the capacity to lead and care for his own family. Discovering that the needs and concerns of all God’s people were solely channeled through Moses, Jethro implored his son-in-law to establish a triage of trusted overseers who would assess and address the “small matters” of the community. Moses would then only expend time and energy on the “great matters” that the elders would present to him on behalf of the people.
In sum, Jethro’s structure for delegating ensures three important blessings: it will keep Moses from burning out; it will free time for Moses to love and care for his family; and, it will empower others to lead (fulfilling God’s calling on their lives as well). The takeaway for us is the same. If we share the workload and care for ourselves first, then we have the capacity to secondly care for families and thirdly for those to whom we have been called to serve.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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