In this week’s reading, Shemot / Exodus 18:1-27,
Moshe takes the responsibility of solving all the people’s problems. Jethro, Moshe’s
father-in-law, sees how this is affecting Moshe and the people and offers wise counsel to Moshe on the
matter. Shemot / Exodus 18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him,
‘The thing that you are doing is not good. 18:18 ‘You will surely wear out, both yourself
and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 18:19
‘Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative
before God, and you bring the disputes to God, 18:20 then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make
known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 18:21 ‘Furthermore,
you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain;
and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.
18:22 ‘Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring
to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear
the burden with you. 18:23 ‘If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able
to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.’ (NASB) Moshe
listened to his father-in-law and chose men from Yisrael to judge the people (
Shemot / Exodus 18:24-26) demonstrating a humble heart and having an ear for wise counsel.
The apostle Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:17, “direct the
affairs of the ecclesia well” speaking of those who direct well are worthy of a
“double honor” he was implying that the standard
of recompense should be correlated with the amount of work required of the leader. In our verses for
this week, we see how Moshe guided the responsibility of directing the affairs of the people selecting some
to judge between disputes so that he could continue in teaching the statutes and laws to the people and everyone
could go to their place in peace (Shemot / Exodus 18:23).
These verses direct us to understand that those who serve God (which includes each one of us) must exhibit the
highest quality of workmanship by managing our time efficiently so we can better serve the Lord. Read More here.
