Wise Counsel

DEVOTION

EXODUS

WISE COUNSEL

Ex 18:13-27

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" 15 Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." 17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21 But select capable men from all the people — men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain — and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. 27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.

NIV

Without rehashing the entire narrative, it is fairly plain to see the lesson which is outlined for our lives today. We cannot stand alone in our tasks of serving the Lord. All too often, however, that is exactly what we are doing. From the senior pastor down it seems everyone wants to do their own thing without help from others. Perhaps it is due to the culture we have been raised in where we have been taught to take care of our own responsibilities, that is to be responsible for our own lives, our own actions. This may have perpetuated the idea that each man is an island onto himself. Moses was certainly of the opinion that he and he alone should be the judge between God and the people, deciding each and every case. This was more than he could do and maintain his own personal life as well. Jethro, seeing from the point of view of an outsider, so to speak, could see this truth and was willing to share the idea he gave to Moses about appointing God fearing men to oversee smaller segments, judging the easy cases, and leaving only the really difficult ones for Moses to judge. Perhaps the idea of multiple pastors in a church follows this example. With a senior pastor, an associate pastor, a youth pastor, a children’s pastor, a Christian education pastor, the load is divided up so no one burns themselves out, as Moses would have done. This also applies in the business world as well and it appears many successful corporations have discovered this idea of sharing the load to be true. In our personal lives, it would seem successful marriages have also found this concept of sharing life’s burdens to be a truth to live by. As interesting as all that is, our lesson may not be about dividing the load of ministry, business or even life, but rather being open to counsel. Moses could have told Jethro to mind his own business, he wasn’t even an Israelite. But he did not do that, but rather listened and took the advice or counsel of his relative, who by the way, had just accepted the LORD God as his God, even making a burnt offering to him. So often we may not be as open to counsel as we should. Although we have been warned not to accept counsel from the ungodly, there is more than enough Godly people around to seek wise counsel from. Now it is true that Moses did not seek the counsel of Jethro, and maybe that might tell us we too should not seek counsel, but rather be open to freely given counsel when it is offered. This may not imply that we have to make the changes offered unless we deem it to be true, using the gift of discernment. Moses surely saw the wisdom of Jethro’s advice. Some people simply enjoy the giving of advice, thinking themselves wise. We do need to be open, but also we need to discern the wisdom of the counsel. Is it acceptable to God? Does it conflict with any of God’s standards? Would it dishonor him in anyway? Would it be helpful and useful in our responsibilities of ministry, of business, of life? However, the truth here is the fact of being open, rather than closed to any counsel at all. If we shut ourselves off from all others, closing our minds, then we may not be acting in a manner God deems correct. We do have to be careful not to judge others as being closed to counsel. We might be the one giving counsel as well as receiving it. But if we judge those we have been impressed by God to give counsel, it is not up to us to convince the listener, but rather just offer the counsel. It is always up to the listener to discern the counsel to be wise or not. So let us be open, but also be wise in listening.