And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
The saying declares that it was wrong for Moses to sit alone from morning to evening judging every dispute of the people himself. That course was not good because the work was too heavy for one man to bear alone and would surely wear him and the people away. Instead Moses was to remain for the people toward God to teach them the way and the work, and to choose able men who fear God, love truth and hate covetousness to serve as rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Those leaders were to judge every small matter themselves and bring only great and hard causes to Moses, so the burden shared together would become lighter, order would improve, and the people would go in peace. God never designed that all responsibility should rest on one man or be centralized in kingly control, but that it should be shared among many competent persons.
Moses Judging Alone
The thing that was not good was Moses sitting alone from morning to evening to judge the people himself, hearing every dispute because they came to inquire of God and to have him judge between one and another and make known the statutes and laws. That solitary hearing of every matter to teach ordinances and laws was the practice his father-in-law condemned. It was not good because the work was too heavy for one man to perform alone, and he was not able to do it by himself. Continuing alone would surely wear away both Moses and the people with him, for the burden was too great for Moses and for them.
The rebuke came from Moses' father-in-law Jethro, whom the Lord raised up as adviser and helper to Moses. Jethro was a man from among the Gentiles, a God-appointed witness revealing principles of heaven. He also helped Moses toward a more correct faith, as far as he himself understood. The counsel came when Zipporah rejoined Moses in the wilderness, saw his strength failing under his burdens, and made her fears known to Jethro, who then suggested measures for relief. Miriam resented Zipporah for this, concluding that her influence had led Moses to follow Jethro's counsel instead of taking herself and Aaron into his counsels as formerly.
Moses had the spirit to heed the counsel and divide the burdens that had come upon him with others, appointing rulers and helpers. The later choice of seventy elders to help govern the people was connected to that counsel. Aaron and Miriam became jealous because they had not been consulted and feared Jethro's influence over Moses. They had not borne Moses' burdens nor recognized the need for help, and they failed to see how heavy his charge had become. His role in answering questions was to make God's will known, not to be the lawgiver, for Christ as Israel's Redeemer gave the words of the law through Moses as His agent. Jethro advised him to oversee the people's religious interests while worthy, trustworthy men handled their secular concerns.
Sharing the Burden
Moses himself was to remain for the people toward God, bringing their causes to God and teaching them ordinances and laws, showing them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Out of the people he was to provide able, capable, suitable, wise men who fear God, are men of truth, and hate covetousness, and place them as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens to judge the people at all seasons. Leaders bearing a great charge must learn this lesson and not carry all burdens and responsibilities alone but have others bear the burden with them and share its responsibilities, with capable God-fearing leaders chosen to help carry the work. For counsellors and boards of directors this defines their true position and what is expected of them.
Those appointed leaders were to judge every small and ordinary matter themselves at all seasons, and to bring only every great, hard, and difficult matter to Moses. Moses hearkened to this and did so, choosing able men to judge at all seasons while the hard causes were brought to him. Borne together in this way the burden would be easier and shared, Moses would be relieved, able to endure, and have a better chance for his life, order would be improved, and all the people would go to their place in peace.
The arrangement gained a twofold object: Moses was relieved, and other men learned to bear responsibilities to qualify them to do work in positions of trust, so that Israel would not learn to look to one man and trust in one man and think nothing could be done for them unless it came before that one man. A burdened leader must therefore let go of some responsibilities and give others opportunity to take hold, teaching them with all the advantages and counsel of his knowledge, or they will ere long have to carry an unwieldy load without the instruction and counsel it is now their privilege to have. Wise counsel and experience should help others take responsibility rather than waiting for someone fully competent to replace the leader. Choosing people for positions of responsibility requires wise discretion and earnest prayer for God's guidance, placing the right man in the right place with a man who has knowledge of that work over each line, including old men alongside young men in the different branches of the work. Each man has a place appointed by God to labor and do his part where duty calls him, and he is safe only there, with no one secure in choosing for himself or going where he has not been called.
Guidance for Leaders Today
God did not design that one man should carry all the responsibilities of His work, hold excessive responsibility, or hold supreme authority over the whole of it. Responsibility is not to be concentrated in one person or in one group, centralized in kingly control or rested on a few men, but is to be shared among many competent people. Human rule is to be avoided, and the wider church is to have a part in choosing those who serve. Moses sitting alone to judge the people from morning to evening, because they came to him to inquire of God, to judge between one and another and to make known the statutes and laws, was too heavy for him to perform alone, and continuing it alone would surely wear away both him and the people with him.
It is not good for one man to carry all the burdens of the presidency of the General Conference. The heavy load must be shared with men who can counsel with the leader and be given a portion of it. Taking as a helper one who can only work under the leader as a son under his father does not supply the relief required. Without wise management in dividing responsibility, the leader remains without relief and falls under the heavy strain.
Different fields and different lines of work should be directed with regard to their particular and distinct needs. Each line is to be placed under a man who knows that work, with the right man in the right place, with responsibilities shared and with counseling together, so that every interest is promptly directed and cared for. For counsellors and boards of directors this defines their true position and what is expected of them. The chief leader is to be for the people toward God, bringing causes to God and teaching ordinances and laws and showing the way wherein they must walk and the work they must do, while able men who fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, judge at all seasons, judging every small matter themselves and bringing only every great matter to him, so the burden is borne together, the leader is able to endure, and the people go to their place in peace.
It is not good and not wise to let a man be weighed down by wearing responsibilities and have his mind and judgment overloaded with superintendence, for the Lord does not require this. Such overloading brings crushing care and anxiety that bring sickness, causes many things to be neglected, leaves important work undone, and makes work that ought to be done without delay drag to loss of time and money. Refusing to let others share the management burden risks damaging health and leaving important work undone. Wisdom is to learn from Jethro's advice to Moses, to make haste slowly, to let others share the burden, and when health is restored to cherish and guard it with due care as entrusted capital.
The saying declares that it was wrong for Moses to sit alone from morning to evening judging every dispute of the people himself. That course was not good because the work was too heavy for one man to bear alone and would surely wear him and the people away. Instead Moses was to remain for the people toward God to teach them the way and the work, and to choose able men who fear God, love truth and hate covetousness to serve as rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Those leaders were to judge every small matter themselves and bring only great and hard causes to Moses, so the burden shared together would become lighter, order would improve, and the people would go in peace. God never designed that all responsibility should rest on one man or be centralized in kingly control, but that it should be shared among many competent persons.
Moses Judging Alone
The thing that was not good was Moses sitting alone from morning to evening to judge the people himself, hearing every dispute because they came to inquire of God and to have him judge between one and another and make known the statutes and laws. That solitary hearing of every matter to teach ordinances and laws was the practice his father-in-law condemned. It was not good because the work was too heavy for one man to perform alone, and he was not able to do it by himself. Continuing alone would surely wear away both Moses and the people with him, for the burden was too great for Moses and for them.
The rebuke came from Moses' father-in-law Jethro, whom the Lord raised up as adviser and helper to Moses. Jethro was a man from among the Gentiles, a God-appointed witness revealing principles of heaven. He also helped Moses toward a more correct faith, as far as he himself understood. The counsel came when Zipporah rejoined Moses in the wilderness, saw his strength failing under his burdens, and made her fears known to Jethro, who then suggested measures for relief. Miriam resented Zipporah for this, concluding that her influence had led Moses to follow Jethro's counsel instead of taking herself and Aaron into his counsels as formerly.
Moses had the spirit to heed the counsel and divide the burdens that had come upon him with others, appointing rulers and helpers. The later choice of seventy elders to help govern the people was connected to that counsel. Aaron and Miriam became jealous because they had not been consulted and feared Jethro's influence over Moses. They had not borne Moses' burdens nor recognized the need for help, and they failed to see how heavy his charge had become. His role in answering questions was to make God's will known, not to be the lawgiver, for Christ as Israel's Redeemer gave the words of the law through Moses as His agent. Jethro advised him to oversee the people's religious interests while worthy, trustworthy men handled their secular concerns.
Sharing the Burden
Moses himself was to remain for the people toward God, bringing their causes to God and teaching them ordinances and laws, showing them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Out of the people he was to provide able, capable, suitable, wise men who fear God, are men of truth, and hate covetousness, and place them as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens to judge the people at all seasons. Leaders bearing a great charge must learn this lesson and not carry all burdens and responsibilities alone but have others bear the burden with them and share its responsibilities, with capable God-fearing leaders chosen to help carry the work. For counsellors and boards of directors this defines their true position and what is expected of them.
Those appointed leaders were to judge every small and ordinary matter themselves at all seasons, and to bring only every great, hard, and difficult matter to Moses. Moses hearkened to this and did so, choosing able men to judge at all seasons while the hard causes were brought to him. Borne together in this way the burden would be easier and shared, Moses would be relieved, able to endure, and have a better chance for his life, order would be improved, and all the people would go to their place in peace.
The arrangement gained a twofold object: Moses was relieved, and other men learned to bear responsibilities to qualify them to do work in positions of trust, so that Israel would not learn to look to one man and trust in one man and think nothing could be done for them unless it came before that one man. A burdened leader must therefore let go of some responsibilities and give others opportunity to take hold, teaching them with all the advantages and counsel of his knowledge, or they will ere long have to carry an unwieldy load without the instruction and counsel it is now their privilege to have. Wise counsel and experience should help others take responsibility rather than waiting for someone fully competent to replace the leader. Choosing people for positions of responsibility requires wise discretion and earnest prayer for God's guidance, placing the right man in the right place with a man who has knowledge of that work over each line, including old men alongside young men in the different branches of the work. Each man has a place appointed by God to labor and do his part where duty calls him, and he is safe only there, with no one secure in choosing for himself or going where he has not been called.
Guidance for Leaders Today
God did not design that one man should carry all the responsibilities of His work, hold excessive responsibility, or hold supreme authority over the whole of it. Responsibility is not to be concentrated in one person or in one group, centralized in kingly control or rested on a few men, but is to be shared among many competent people. Human rule is to be avoided, and the wider church is to have a part in choosing those who serve. Moses sitting alone to judge the people from morning to evening, because they came to him to inquire of God, to judge between one and another and to make known the statutes and laws, was too heavy for him to perform alone, and continuing it alone would surely wear away both him and the people with him.
It is not good for one man to carry all the burdens of the presidency of the General Conference. The heavy load must be shared with men who can counsel with the leader and be given a portion of it. Taking as a helper one who can only work under the leader as a son under his father does not supply the relief required. Without wise management in dividing responsibility, the leader remains without relief and falls under the heavy strain.
Different fields and different lines of work should be directed with regard to their particular and distinct needs. Each line is to be placed under a man who knows that work, with the right man in the right place, with responsibilities shared and with counseling together, so that every interest is promptly directed and cared for. For counsellors and boards of directors this defines their true position and what is expected of them. The chief leader is to be for the people toward God, bringing causes to God and teaching ordinances and laws and showing the way wherein they must walk and the work they must do, while able men who fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, judge at all seasons, judging every small matter themselves and bringing only every great matter to him, so the burden is borne together, the leader is able to endure, and the people go to their place in peace.
It is not good and not wise to let a man be weighed down by wearing responsibilities and have his mind and judgment overloaded with superintendence, for the Lord does not require this. Such overloading brings crushing care and anxiety that bring sickness, causes many things to be neglected, leaves important work undone, and makes work that ought to be done without delay drag to loss of time and money. Refusing to let others share the management burden risks damaging health and leaving important work undone. Wisdom is to learn from Jethro's advice to Moses, to make haste slowly, to let others share the burden, and when health is restored to cherish and guard it with due care as entrusted capital.