Wise People

Exodus 18:13-26 Effective Servant Leadership

Even wise people need counsel!

Jethro, Moses’ father in law, was watching Moses one day as Moses listened and counseled his people and their complaints. The bible tells us this was usual that Moses sat all day from morning ’til evening. Jethro asks why he was doing this and Moses told him that people came to him because he was their judge and applied the Laws of God to their disputes. Jethro told Moses that one man couldn’t do it all and that Moses was going to wear himself out.

What happens when something happens to Moses? Where do the people go then? Moses was playing lawyer, magistrate and law provider.
If these people quarreled with each other the way they did with God then Moses had a big job cut out for him. Moses took his job seriously and with compassion so this all took time. It would have been physically and mentally exhausting.

Jethro was right, this was a demanding job and these people could get mean.

What Jethro was telling Moses was that Moses was useful to his people but there were others that could be useful also. If Moses could teach others his specialty in counseling, he could lift a heavy burden from himself and go on with more important work for God. Today we might say that everyone has gifts and they should all be using them for the good of the Lord. Good people, wise people and Godly people needed to be chosen under Moses. They needed good sense, they needed to understand the business, not be intimidated by people and their discourtesies, not corrupt and they should be God fearing people.

These people could not give a base answer for disputes but apply God’s law with their guidance.

Moses listened and he was OK with this advice.Moses knew that he could get overwhelmed and the people would or might eventually get tired of his lone administration of justice. Jethro suggested” 1 judge per 1000 people, then 10 judges under him for 100 per, then 2 judges under them for 50 per, then 5 judges counseling 10 people. The more complicated complaints would be sent to Moses but the rest would be handled by the various judges. This would share the overall burdens, delegate and Moses could oversee the other judges and the Main judge, the Lord, would have to agree with this arrangement.

Then Moses could endure the work and there would be peace and harmony in the camp.

He would have constant availability to administer justice as he took on the hardest cases. This is a case of delegating down some authority within the church in order to have sharing responsibilities and allowing the lead of the church tend to the more important duties.

That’s Servant Leadership.

Amen!

Peace to you!
In the Lord’s Word.
Sandra L Todd