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Work Smarter Not Harder - November 14, 2021

Exodus 18:13-27The next day Moses sat as a judge for the people, while the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What’s this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people are standing around you from morning until evening?”

Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When a conflict arises between them, they come to me and I judge between the two of them. I also teach them God’s regulations and instructions.”

Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing isn’t good. You will end up totally wearing yourself out, both you and these people who

are with you. The work is too difficult for you. You can’t do it alone. Now listen to me and let me give you some advice. And may God be with you! Your role should be to represent the people before God. You should bring their disputes before God yourself. Explain the regulations and instructions to them. Let them know the way they are supposed to go and the things they are supposed to do. But you should also look among all the people for capable persons who respect God. They should be trustworthy and not corrupt. Set these persons over the people as officers of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Let them sit as judges for the people at all times. They should bring every major dispute to you, but they should decide all of the minor cases themselves. This will be much easier for you, and they will share your load. If you do this and God directs you, then you will be able to endure. And all these people will be able to go back to their homes much happier.”

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s suggestions and did everything that he had said. Moses chose capable persons from all Israel and set them as leaders over the people, as officers over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They acted as judges for the people at all times. They would refer the hard cases to Moses, but all of the minor cases they decided themselves. Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went back to his own country.
Common English Bible

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law comes from Midian to check on Moses. It appears that Moses sent his wife and family back to Midian prior to the Exodus episodes on the escape from Egypt and Jethro brings them as well. Moses is glad to see everyone and Moses updates Jethro on all that God has done for them. In Exodus 18:9 we read: “Jethro was glad about all the good things that the Lord had done for Israel in saving them from the Egyptians’ power.”

The next morning Moses goes about his regular routine and spends the day as a judge before the people as they bring him their problems and their disputes. Evidently, this was a long day, everyday occurrence. Jethro inquired what Moses was doing and after hearing what was happening Jethro said: “What you are doing is not good.”

“You will wear yourself out and not serve the people well if you alone sit in judgment and decide all of the disputes of the people.”

And he gave Moses a plan of action to consider: “Select people to help you. Divide the cases into the most difficult and the more routine and easy decisions. Handoff to those you choose to help the routine decisions. Save the more difficult decisions for yourself. Your role should be to represent the people before God.

The last line of this passage says: “If you do this and God directs you, then you will be able to endure. And all these people will be able to go back to their homes much happier.” Other translations use the words ‘in peace’ or ‘at peace’ rather than ‘much happier.’

Let’s look at this, through the eyes of a 21st Christian/Jewish leadership lens.

First, in order to serve the people better and without depleting his own energy Jethro suggests Moses find a number of leaders to delegate various numbers of people in assisting as a sitting judge for the people. There is some common sense in this suggestion. Many of the decisions that people want to come talk with me about are decisions that they are already empowered to make by virtue of their elected office in the church or they are almost inconsequential enough to not rock many boats among others. While it would be easy to say “just do what you want” that is not a very wise decision on the part of a leader. No decision is immune from creating chaos in a community or organization. I try to empower staff to make some of those decisions with people for the good of the church. Most of these decipeace-making so the “peace making” decisions. In a peacemaking decision, there is a bit of wiggle room to try to get both parties into a place where with a wee bit of latitude a rule or convention can be nudged to reach a compromise — not always each side getting everything they want, but for the most part, everyone can live within the decision.

The role of the spiritual leader, the person who is called to represent the people before God is not necessarily a peace-making role. Seldom is that person in a peace-making role. Because representing the people before God means listening for, hearing God’s word, God’s laws, God’s expectations for the people. This role is the “justice” role of judgment. You will notice as we go forward through the wilderness journeys that Moses often pleads and intercedes for the people when they lose faith when they choose not to live within God’s law. When the people fail to be obedient and choose to create the Golden Calf as an image or idol to worship, when the people willfully choose their own way rather than God’s Moses is the one who intercedes between the people and the anger and wrath of God. You may notice when we reach those stories that Moses is not happy either. He is stuck between the people and God and sometimes you will find Moses trying to find a way to insert his version of the story to see if God will back off a bit. And God seldom does. God may, God might be willing to say “I hear you interceding for these stubborn people, and I am not happy, but return to them and tell them that I am angry but they are lucky.” And God spreads that gift of grace around again, just like the manna and the quail, the water and the leading presence of fire and smoke.

Jethro was wise to see how important it was to set up a system of delegation for the smaller decisions, and the decisions where negotiation and mediation can bring about a semblance of peace for a while. And Jethro was wise to remind Moses that Moses does no favor to God, to the people, or to Moses to wear himself out with the small decisions when the larger decisions that involve law, covenant, and justice are pressing in on the leader day by day.

The same is true today. A leader in the church, as well as many leaders in the communities and states and nations of the world, is called into those roles not to be the eternal peacemaker, and not with the understanding that they are there to please people. The one who intercedes on behalf of the people must be prepared to hold up under the pressure of unhappiness and discontent. It is a major part of the job. And no one tries to make people unhappy. But justice and peace are not always congruous with one another. And God is concerned about justice, what is right, what aligns with God’s laws.

When the division of tasks is done well, life is better. Jethro knew that. But only over time did Moses understand the importance of that as well.

Before any of us covet the position of Moses or of those he delegated the tasks to, we know the end of the story. Moses, the intercessor for the people, the bearer of God’s commands to and for the people is the one who was allowed a glimpse of the promised land but never set foot in it. It was the stubborn, stiff-necked people who hopefully learned something that crossed the Jordan River into Canaan land. Leadership is important. But obviously, faithfulness is even more so

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