Well…what Jethro actually said was, “What you are doing is not good.” Exodus 18:17
One of the many tasks that fell to Moses as leader of the Israelites was serving as judge. Exodus 12:37 tells us there were 600,000 men, a count that did not include women and children, in the wilderness with Moses. A million people (even God’s chosen people — or perhaps especially God’s chosen people!) would have disputes and disagreements that must be settled to keep law and order.
While Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) was visiting, he observed Moses sitting to judge the people from early morning to evening. Jethro questioned the system and concluded it was not healthy for Moses or the people, declaring, “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” Exodus 18:18
As an outside party coming in, Jethro offered a fresh perspective. He identified the problem and then went on to offer a solution. What he recommended was essentially an appellate court system, with judges presiding over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Only the most difficult cases would be referred to Moses.
Jethro also advised, “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.” Exodus 18:20
As a side note, it is also interesting to see the character traits that were recommend for these judges:
- Capable
- Fear God
- Trustworthy
- Hate dishonest gain
All these years later and that continues to be good criteria for our leaders.
Learning to let go and allow others to carry responsibility can be challenging — whether you are a mom delegating laundry, a committee chairman handing over program planning to a member, or a CEO entrusting your team with a marketing plan. Every area of life offers opportunities for us to train, teach, and mentor … and then release others to go forth. Even Jesus did it!
Are there areas of life, ministry, or work where you are struggling — feeling overwhelmed and “under the pile”— today? Could God be calling you to take some advice from Jethro and do some training and subsequent delegating?
If home management is one of those areas, perhaps the free ‘Do It’ List could help! Both pre-filled and blank versions are available on our ‘Downloads’ page. I hope you will consider using these tools to delegate essential tasks to your children, and that you will receive the same blessing Jethro declared to Moses:
“If you do this and God so commands,
you will be able to stand the strain,
and all these people will go home satisfied.”
Exodus 18:23
Sounds like a win/win. And that’s good.
Are you familiar with the free monthly ‘Do It’ List? If not, I invite you to learn more about the list — and some of this month’s tasks to help make the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday more manageable — in this video:
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