Deuteronomy 1:9-13: a reflection

As the people multiply, Moses recognizes that he cannot bear the whole burden of leading them alone, and so he shares the load, appointing capable men to help carry the responsibility. How can I myself alone bear your problems, your burdens, and your strife? Moses says; take wise men of understanding, and I will make them heads over you. Moses did not try to carry everything himself; he admitted his own limits, that he could not bear the whole burden alone, and he shared the load with others, so that the burden was carried together rather than by him alone. This shows the wisdom of not carrying every burden alone, but sharing the load. Do not try to carry every burden alone; share the load. Moses admitted his limits and shared the responsibility. We are not meant to bear everything ourselves. Sharing the burden with others is wisdom.

Notice Moses' honesty and wisdom. He did not pretend he could do everything, carry the whole weight of leading a great people by himself; he admitted plainly, I am not able to bear you myself alone. And rather than struggle on under a burden too great for one person, he shared the load, appointing capable and respected men to help him carry the responsibility. This is wisdom we often lack. We can try to carry everything ourselves, shouldering burdens too great for one person, unwilling to admit our limits or to share the load with others, whether out of pride, or a sense that we must do it all, or a reluctance to trust others. But this is neither wise nor sustainable; we are not meant to bear everything alone. Like Moses, we do well to admit our limits, to recognize when a burden is too great for one person, and to share the load with others, letting the responsibility be carried together. There is no shame in this; it is wisdom, and it is how God designed us to work, bearing one another's burdens. We do well to share the load rather than carry everything alone. Admit your limits; do not carry everything yourself. Share heavy burdens with others rather than struggling alone. We are meant to bear burdens together, not each alone. Sharing the load is wisdom, not weakness.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are not meant to carry every burden alone, and it is wisdom to share the load with others, as Moses admitted his limits and shared the responsibility of leadership. We can try to carry everything ourselves, shouldering burdens too great for one person, unwilling to admit our limits or share the load, out of pride or a sense that we must do it all; but Moses said plainly he could not bear the people alone, and shared the burden with capable others. Sharing the load is wisdom. Do not try to carry every burden alone; admit your limits and share the load with others. Do not try to carry every burden alone, but admit your limits and share the load with others, as Moses, as the people multiplied, recognized that he could not bear the whole burden of leading them by himself, saying, how can I alone bear your burdens and your strife, and appointed capable, respected men to help carry the responsibility; for we can try to carry everything ourselves, shouldering burdens too great for one person, unwilling to admit our limits or to share the load with others, whether out of pride, or a sense that we must do it all, or a reluctance to trust others, but this is neither wise nor sustainable, since we are not meant to bear everything alone, and like Moses we do well to admit our limits, recognize when a burden is too great for one person, and share the load so that the responsibility is carried together, for there is no shame in this but wisdom, and it is how God designed us to work, bearing one another's burdens rather than each struggling alone.