The Second Sunday after Epiphany (OTA)

Exodus 18:13-27

¹³ The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” ¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; ¹⁶ when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” ¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. ¹⁹ Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, ²⁰ and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. ²¹ Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²² And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” 

²⁴ So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵ Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²⁶ And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. ²⁷ Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. 

Good lesson to all married people.  Moses has a problem at work and he before going to his boss (God), he has a sit down with his father-in-law.  Moses takes time to discuss over a difficult work problem with his father-in-law.  Granted we do not have any conversations concerning Moses' Father, so going to him might have been difficult.  But Why didn't Moses go to God?

There is wisdom found in inquiring of another Man of God.  Moses inquires of His Father who has been in charge of shepherds.  Moses goes to a Godly person in whom he trusts.  Moses knows that God can speak through his father-in-law.  Maybe even a better lesson for us is to realize that Jesus listens to Jethro's advice as he calls men to become fishers of men.

Remember that you do not have to carry everything upon your shoulders.  You do not have to repay for all your misdeeds.  You do not have to burden yourselves with the troubles of all these people.  You can have other people help you to deal with many of the problems that you face in daily life.  You can delegate a lot of work to friends, co-workers, and family.

You can also cast your greatest problems, troubles, and concerns upon Jesus Christ.  You can place all your sins (mistakes) at the foot of the cross (or upon Christ's shoulders).  What a friend we have in Jesus that he not only asks us to help him, but takes upon himself all our burdens and disgrace.