“Moses sat to judge the people… from morning till evening. [Jethro] said, ‘What… are doing?.. Moses said, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute,.. I make them know the statutes of God…” [Jethro] said to him, ‘What you are doing is not good. You… will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone… Look for able men… who fear God.., and place such men over the people as chiefs… So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.., you will be able to endure.”” Exodus 18:13-15,17-18,21-23
“ I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me…’
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Gather for me seventy men of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone…’
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud.., and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders…
“Now two men remained in the camp,.. and the Spirit rested on them… And a young man ran and told Moses, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ And Joshua.., the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, ‘My lord Moses, stop them.’ But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!'” Numbers 11:14,16-17,25-29
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Galatians 6:2-3
Moses knew his human limitations, although in times of extreme stress with responsibility he didn’t take time to tend to the remedy. The Lord taught him to delegate so he’d be able to continue and God’s work could be done effectively. Moses humbly chose good people to share the burdens of work and ministry.
Whether we are high capacity or are in charge of a small but vital job, the Lord cares how we do what He assigns. He intends that His work be shared by His people in order to employ varied gifts, provide sufficient energy, and foster mutual encouragement and mentoring. Do I pridefully think I need to do it myself, my way?
How energetically and thoroughly am I doing the work God has assigned? Is it completed in a way that displays His grace and glory? If I have taken on too much extraneous activity, or if I am careless or procrastinate, I dishonor my call by not fulfilling my appointed tasks well. How willing am I to share the work and teach along the way, or to relinquish something I enjoy to give another the opportunity? How can I cultivate a healthy perspective that I’m not indispensable? Whom am I training? (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7,9; Colossians 3:23)
Lord, make me willing to help others and to allow others to help me in order to build up Your body and so exalt Your Name.
As the rain and snow 