Jethro’s advice to Moses can be easily understood as a back-and-forth of questions and answers. Jethro posed the question, and Moses responded with the answers.
Question: “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” (Exodus 18.14).
Answer: “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
“When they have a dispute, they come to me, and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God” (Exodus 15-16).
Imagine one person trying to solve the problems of two million newly freed slaves. This is why Jethro had some important advice for Moses.
“What you are doing is not good.
“You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone” (Exodus 18.17-18).
Jethro highlighted the clear issues with attempting to control every aspect of 2 million people’s lives. Consider how this over-management could be a problem in our society.
(1) Micro-managing limits the ability to make decisions and take ownership of work.
In business or the church world, it stifles creativity and innovation because people may become afraid to propose new ideas or take risks.
(2) Whether it is the home, church, or business when individuals feel that their efforts are not trusted or valued, they are more likely to become disengaged and less committed.
(3) When someone like Moses insists on being involved in every detail, it can cause delays in the decision-making process. Jethro was right to declare that Moses was wearing everyone out, including himself.
A God-Given Structure
Jethro’s guidance has long influenced church activities. Numerous small group handbooks draw from his advice to Moses in the following verses.
Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God and bring their cases to God.
Teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do.
You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens (Exodus 18.19-21).
Jethro’s advice consists of three parts.
(1) They need to teach statutes, which will be presented in chapter 20 with the Ten Commandments.
(2) They should select capable individuals to lead small groups.
The three qualifications, “fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain” are the opposites of what the Israelites faced in Egypt.
We can expect that people in charge of government, business, and other societal sectors will be closely tied to Pharaoh’s methods and likely resemble Pharaoh’s leaders more than those required by Moses.
Those who stand for God should reflect his qualities. As we live in awe of him, we should be truthful and giving. These are the leaders who best represent the Lord.
Life as Free People
I’ll often discuss a key theme as we explore chapters 18 and beyond. This theme is about God liberating his people, and how we can embrace this freedom in our lives. God’s commands are for free people to remain and enjoy their God-given freedom.
Note, what Jethro said to Moses about following his guidance.
“If you do this and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their homes in peace” (Exodus 18.23).
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 