Exodus 18 - Delegation Advice

Rarely do in-laws get a good rap, but in this chapter we see Moses' father-in-law, Jethro receives a very warm welcome and offers some advice to Moses. Jethro was a pagan priest and did not worship the God of the Israelites, but the works God did for the Israelites in delivering them from Egypt apparently bring Him to a saving faith in God alone. 

Moses had developed a great admiration for his father-in-law and shared with him the personal concerns Moses had in leading a large group of Israelites. Jethro gives recommendation to Moses to establish judges among the elders of the nation and divide the labor. 

This chapter has a couple of examples we can follow as we live out our faith. We should seek out advisors in our own lives and listen to the wisdom they have to offer. In the midst of trials our emotions can block our clear thinking and having someone trusted to offer wisdom can keep us from succumbing to our temptations to act rashly. When we seek out advisors however, we should look for people who can offer godly wisdom - disciples of The Lord so that you don't get diverted by worldly rationalizations. 

The second principle here is that it is not good to bear all the load when you can train people to assist. I have witnessed parents who will not train their children to assist with home maintenance. Maybe they think they are being kind or maybe they don't want to go through the process of training. Sometimes in church groups there will be a leader who wants to maintain control and does not delegate authority. This person becomes unbalanced and can find his/her team unwilling to serve under them. Delegation does not mean waiving our responsibilities and giving them away, but it prepares the next set of leaders with the skills needed to continue after you have completed your tasks. 

As stewards our ego can get wrapped up in our financial decisions which is all the more reason why we should have good and godly advisors to keep us focused on the eternal and not the temporal. Identifying godly advisors before a crisis of decision allows us to be thoughtful in our choice. Having a partner at work who can look objectively at the challenges that you may face can help you to excel in ways that you never could alone. 

Build a team of godly advisors around you and search God's word together for direction and you have a combination that is sure to succeed. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.