SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 18
BIBLE VERSES:
“Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.” (Exodus 17:24-26)
JETHRO VISITS MOSES (vs. 1-27)
Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses together with his daughter Zipporah and grandsons Gershom (meaning – I have become an alien in a foreign land) and Eliezer (meaning – My father’s God was my helper, he saved me from the sword of the Pharaoh) came to visit Moses in the desert. Moses met and greeted them and told everything about what the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians and admitted all the hardships they had experienced and how the Lord had saved them.
Jethro praised the Lord and brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders came to eat with Jethro in the presence of God. The next day, Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people and they stood around him from morning till evening. Jethro gave him this advice. “You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to Him. Teach the the decrees and laws and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all time, but have them bring every difficult case to you.. The simple case they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commanded, you will be able to stand the strain and all these people will go home satisfied (vs. 19-23). Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and did everything he said. Then, Jethro returned to his own country.
THOUGHTS:
When Moses met Jethro, his father-in-law, he told him all that God had done concerning him and that the Lord is greater than any other God. We should also look for opportunities to tell our relatives what God had done in our lives in order to influence them to believe in Christ.
When Jethro saw Moses spending so much time and energy hearing the Hebrew’ complaints, he gave him the following advices:
- Teach them the decrees and laws
- Show them the way to live
- Tell them the duties they are to perform
- Select capable men with these characteristics – God fearing, trustworthy, honest, hate dishonest gain
- Appoint them as officials to assist you.
We should also follow the guideline set forth by Jethro in selecting leaders to help pastors handing part of their load.
Moses was trying to do all the work himself without distinguishing between major and minor problems. However, he was humble and willing to listen to advices. If you are loaded with too much work to perform, you need to set aside priorities and look for assistance. Delegate your work to multiply your effectiveness and give others a chance to serve and grow.