Thoughts from Exodus 18.
Moses was in the thick of it. It had only been a couple of months since Israel had left Egypt and he was working non-stop. He did not sign up for this. He did not realize that he was going to be settling disputes for the whole nation of Israel. Every night he would collapse in his bed with a bad headache. He may have thought these thoughts: “These people need help! They are a bunch of overgrown children! They have grown up as slaves and don’t know what to do on their own. They can’t even settle their own disputes!” Although Scripture does not say this, I am positive that Moses cried out to God. I would have. “Help me, Lord. I am lost. I am not sure what to do. I have never led a group this size and this dysfunctional. I am over my head here and I am sinking fast.”
God heard Moses’ cry. So what does God do? He sends out Moses’ father-in-law. I know what you’re thinking, but God can use in-law’s. :) Not only does He bring out his father-in-law but he sends out his wife and kids. God knew that it was difficult for Moses to be all alone; it was time to reunite him with his family. What a reunion it was! Moses put his work on hold and had a spontaneous family day. There was much to celebrate and to catch up on. Moses began telling all the stories and the amazing miracles that God had performed. His father-in-law was very excited! He began ascribing to God the glory due His name! Jethro became a believer.
Jethro ran out and gathered together an offering for the Lord. “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods!” Moses called Aaron and all the other elders of Israel and they joined in with Jethro and celebrated the work of the Lord. What an act of worship!
The very next day, work came knocking on Moses’ door. The family reunion was short lived. The brief glimpse of happiness was gone under the cloud of overwhelming duties that needed to be accomplished. Moses worked for the next 16 hours straight. People lined up to speak to him. Jethro took note and watched in amazement. He noticed how overwhelmed his son-in-law had become.
When the exhausting day was over, Jethro took the opportunity to speak to Moses. “What are you doing? Why do you do this alone? Why do you do this all day and barely take time to eat meals?” Moses explained to Jethro that it needed to be done and the people came to him to settle disputes and discern God’s will.
Jethro listened graciously and decided it was time to pull out the father-in-law card. “That is stupid!” Well…he did not say it this way but Moses may have felt it. “The work is too heavy for you; you are not able to handle it alone.” Yeah…tell me something I don’t know! I am sure Moses was beginning to be annoyed. Jethro then proceeds to give Moses some advice on how to do his job.
Timely advice. Morsel of wisdom. God brings wisdom and advice to us from the most unlikely people at times. The temptation is usually to write them off and cast them aside. Moses out of all people had every right not to listen to Jethro. After all, who had a face to face encounter with the great “I AM”? Who was it that led the nation of Israel across the Red Sea on dry ground? Who was having mountain side chats with the Creator? Why should Moses take Jethro’s advice? “Who does Jethro think he is? Why is he telling me how to do my job?” These could have been Moses’ thoughts but he was a wise man. Therefore, he would “heed correction and gain understanding.” (Prove. 15:32) This is exactly what he did. Without argument and without hesitation, Moses knew that God had spoken to him through his father-in-law. (This may have been a greater miracle than speaking through a mountain or a burning bush!) Moses listened and did everything his father-in-law told him he should do.
I love timely advice! You never know where it will come from or what it will be. However, it will usually hit you square between your eyes. What you decide to do with it will determine your outcome. If Moses would have ignored this advice, it is very possible that he would have burned out. He would have neglected his time alone with God because he was too busy. What would have happened to Israel if they had a leader who was too busy to walk and talk with God? I am sure that the outcome would be much different today. Listen to Proverbs 21:1: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Then Proverbs 19:20 says it all, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”
Are you taking a fool’s path or the path of a righteous man? Receive correction and love discipline. In the end you will be wiser.
Check out these follow-up verses:
Proverbs 9:8-9; 10:17; 13:18; 15:31-32; 28:23; 23:12; 25:11-12; 29:1; 12:1; 15:5; 21:11; 19:20; 19:25
God heard Moses’ cry. So what does God do? He sends out Moses’ father-in-law. I know what you’re thinking, but God can use in-law’s. :) Not only does He bring out his father-in-law but he sends out his wife and kids. God knew that it was difficult for Moses to be all alone; it was time to reunite him with his family. What a reunion it was! Moses put his work on hold and had a spontaneous family day. There was much to celebrate and to catch up on. Moses began telling all the stories and the amazing miracles that God had performed. His father-in-law was very excited! He began ascribing to God the glory due His name! Jethro became a believer.
Jethro ran out and gathered together an offering for the Lord. “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods!” Moses called Aaron and all the other elders of Israel and they joined in with Jethro and celebrated the work of the Lord. What an act of worship!
The very next day, work came knocking on Moses’ door. The family reunion was short lived. The brief glimpse of happiness was gone under the cloud of overwhelming duties that needed to be accomplished. Moses worked for the next 16 hours straight. People lined up to speak to him. Jethro took note and watched in amazement. He noticed how overwhelmed his son-in-law had become.
When the exhausting day was over, Jethro took the opportunity to speak to Moses. “What are you doing? Why do you do this alone? Why do you do this all day and barely take time to eat meals?” Moses explained to Jethro that it needed to be done and the people came to him to settle disputes and discern God’s will.
Jethro listened graciously and decided it was time to pull out the father-in-law card. “That is stupid!” Well…he did not say it this way but Moses may have felt it. “The work is too heavy for you; you are not able to handle it alone.” Yeah…tell me something I don’t know! I am sure Moses was beginning to be annoyed. Jethro then proceeds to give Moses some advice on how to do his job.
Timely advice. Morsel of wisdom. God brings wisdom and advice to us from the most unlikely people at times. The temptation is usually to write them off and cast them aside. Moses out of all people had every right not to listen to Jethro. After all, who had a face to face encounter with the great “I AM”? Who was it that led the nation of Israel across the Red Sea on dry ground? Who was having mountain side chats with the Creator? Why should Moses take Jethro’s advice? “Who does Jethro think he is? Why is he telling me how to do my job?” These could have been Moses’ thoughts but he was a wise man. Therefore, he would “heed correction and gain understanding.” (Prove. 15:32) This is exactly what he did. Without argument and without hesitation, Moses knew that God had spoken to him through his father-in-law. (This may have been a greater miracle than speaking through a mountain or a burning bush!) Moses listened and did everything his father-in-law told him he should do.
I love timely advice! You never know where it will come from or what it will be. However, it will usually hit you square between your eyes. What you decide to do with it will determine your outcome. If Moses would have ignored this advice, it is very possible that he would have burned out. He would have neglected his time alone with God because he was too busy. What would have happened to Israel if they had a leader who was too busy to walk and talk with God? I am sure that the outcome would be much different today. Listen to Proverbs 21:1: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Then Proverbs 19:20 says it all, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”
Are you taking a fool’s path or the path of a righteous man? Receive correction and love discipline. In the end you will be wiser.
Check out these follow-up verses:
Proverbs 9:8-9; 10:17; 13:18; 15:31-32; 28:23; 23:12; 25:11-12; 29:1; 12:1; 15:5; 21:11; 19:20; 19:25
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