Exodus 18:13-27: a reflection

13On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?” 15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.” 17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. 19Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 20You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. 23If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.” 24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, watches Moses spend an entire day, from morning to evening, personally judging every dispute the people bring, while long lines wait. And he speaks plainly: What you are doing is not good. You will wear yourself out, and these people too, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. His counsel is practical: appoint capable, God-fearing men to judge the smaller matters, and bring only the hardest cases to yourself. Share the load. And Moses, humbly, listens and does it.

Notice two things. First, the wisdom of not doing everything alone. Moses, out of dedication, was trying to carry the whole burden himself, and it was unsustainable, wearing out both him and the people. Jethro's counsel is that some things are too heavy to bear alone, and that sharing the load, delegating, involving others, is not a failure but wisdom. And second, Moses' humility: he was the great leader, and yet he received counsel from his father-in-law and acted on it, rather than proudly insisting on his own way.

Both are worth taking to heart. Many of us, out of dedication or a reluctance to let go, try to carry too much alone, and wear ourselves out in tasks too heavy for one person. The wise and humble path is to share the load, to let others help and take responsibility, rather than insisting on doing it all ourselves. And it takes humility to receive that counsel, as Moses did. Are you trying to carry alone what was meant to be shared? Take Jethro's wisdom: you cannot do it alone, and you are not meant to. Share the load, and have the humility to accept help.

Lord, Moses was wearing himself out trying to judge everything alone, and Jethro wisely counseled him to share the load, and Moses humbly listened. Show me where I am trying to carry alone what was meant to be shared, wearing myself out in tasks too heavy for one person. Give me the wisdom to share the load, to let others help and take responsibility, and the humility to receive counsel and accept help. I cannot do it all alone, and you did not make me to. Help me share the burden.