Spiritual Leadership: The Jethro Principle Series

I had just finished the book summary, The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. Right away I could see the application of this book. Not for me, I saw that my son-in-law was working long hours and here in this book were principles for the entrepreneur that could help him rise up new employees that he needed to keep him and the company founder doing what they do best, the tech troubleshooting. They built their business on this skill. But the other aspect of the business that could be outsourced to others were now taking up the majority of their time.

I get it that Jethro was looking to help his son-in-law from working long hours. It was not that the work was not important or needed to be cut back, but if too much depends on one key individual that is not going to be sustainable. In leadership others need to be raised up to share the load. Because of Exodus chapter 18 we call this the Jethro principle.

Jethro was concerned about his son-in-law working unending long hours. It would not only be affecting Moses but it would have impacted his daughter Zipporah and their family. Jethro was the priest of Midian. Moses the leader of the Israelites.

Jethro gave Moses such helpful advice that not only did Moses apply this and was helped by it, he wrote it in Scripture. He must have been aware that this was a leadership principle that would help spiritual leaders in every generation that follows him. There would come different circumstances but timeless principles.

It is the principle of shared ministry, delegation of authority and proper organization. A spiritual leader needs zeal, drive and a commitment to hard work. But this is not the only thing a leader needs. Without some good organizational structure all this hard work could lead to stress and burn out. Jethro could see that all the pressure and leadership responsibilities was about to break Moses. He needed to help him.

We find that Moses wife Zipporah and the kids went with Moses to Egypt (Exodus 4:24-26). But Moses sent his wife and kids back to Jethro. Now in this setting Moses is reunited with Jethro and his wife and kids. Moses wife Zipporah along with their children Gershom and Elieazer (Exodus 18:2-4) had stayed in the wilderness with Jethro while Moses had gone to Egypt. Now Moses and the Israelites are out of Egypt and in the wilderness. Now Jethro, Zipporah and the two children have re-joined Moses.

They are reunited and Jethro heard of all the Miraculous things God had done through his son-in-law, the staff to a snake, the river Nile turning to blood, the plague of frogs, flies, gnats, livestock, boils, locusts, darkness, death, the Passover sparing the Israelites, the parting of the Red sea, the mana, the qual, bitter water to sweet, water from a rock and more. Moses told his father-in-law all this (Exodus 18:8).

Jethro praised the Lord for all the great work of miracles (Exodus 18:10). There was great rejoicing, worship and a thanksgiving meal. The next day Jethro noticed something he had missed in all the excitement of reuniting. That is Moses was working himself to death. He worked from morning to evening.

Moses was working all day and the people were just sitting around. Jethro noticed this and brought it up to Moses. 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. (Exodus 18:18).

Jethro explains to Moses that he needs to delegate these responsibilities.

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 his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 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.” (Exodus 18:19-23)

You can imagine the stress of Moses. There are over one million people, and he is the only one deciding the disputes with all these grumbling people.

So many good leaders with a strong work ethic are doing what Moses did. They think they are doing the right thing working insane overtime hours to get everything done. They are shouldering all the pressure themselves. They are not doing anyone any favors by this.