Jethro educates Moses on the power of delegation

In Exodus 18, we see Moses take on some more prosaic leadership tasks, without the dramatic miracles highlighted in previous chapters.  His father-in-law sees his him at work and has a talk with him about his leadership style.

13 ¶And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to ^ajudge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to ^aenquire of God:

16 When they have a ^amatter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is ^atoo heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: ^aBe thou for the people to ^bGod-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

20 And thou shalt ^ateach them ^bordinances and ^claws, and shalt shew them the ^dway wherein they must ^ewalk, and the work that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people ^aable men, such as ^bfear God, ^cmen of truth, hating ^dcovetousness; and place such over them, to be ^erulers of thousands, and rulers of ^fhundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them ^ajudge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the ^bburden with thee.

23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

Exodus 18:13-24

Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, observed that Moses had a leadership style that could use some improvement.  This organizational chart shows how Moses was leading the people, with very few tasks delegated to anyone but himself.

Jethro informed Moses that a leadership model that involved more of his congregation would be more effective, as represented by this organizational chart.

• How can we apply Jethro’s advice in our own church callings and other leadership opportunities?
• How did Jethro sustain Moses?

Spiritual Preparation

Let’s discuss the people in Moses’ congregation, who “stood by him from morning unto the evening” so he could help them with all of their “matters”.  Were they sustaining Moses?  I think it is clear that, at least during this time period, they respected Moses and valued his opinion, but I am not sure that their neediness could be considered “sustaining”.  Jethro was concerned that this pattern of behavior would cause Moses to “wear away” and that it would harm the people of the congregation as well.  Modern apostles have shared similar concerns:

Speaking figuratively, many a bishop keeps on the corner of his desk a large stack of order forms for emotional relief. When someone comes with a problem, the bishop, unfortunately, without a question, passes them out, without stopping to think what he is doing to his people…Spiritual independence and self-reliance is a sustaining power in the Church. If we rob the members of that, how can they get revelation for themselves? How will they know there is a prophet of God? How can they get answers to prayers? How can they know for sure for themselves?

—Boyd K. Packer, Solving Emotional Problems in the Lord’s Own Way, General Conference, April 1978

• Why is “spiritual independence and self-reliance” a “sustaining power in the church”?
• How do you exercise spiritual independence and self-reliance?
• How can we become more spiritually independent or self-reliant?

When a crisis comes into our lives, we may be better able to be spiritually self-reliant if we are spiritually prepared. In Exodus 19, God gives the Israelites instructions in preparation for  a heavenly manifestation.

3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Exodus 19:3-6

• What does it mean for God to carry someone on eagles’ wings?
• Do you feel like that has ever happened in your own life?
• What is a peculiar treasure into God? A kingdom of priests? A holy nation?
• How can we aspire for our modern church community to become a peculiar treasure unto God, a kingdom of priests, or a holy nation?

The Lord promised to visit the Israelites in three days, and in the meantime, he instructed them to “sanctify” themselves (Exodus 19:9-11).

• How do we sanctify ourselves?
• How do you prepare for sacred occasions?

The Ten Commandments

The promised visitation took place on Mount Sinai.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

Exodus 19:16-18

During this visitation, God gave the Israelites a list of commandments known today as the Ten Commandments.

1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

Exodus 20:1-18

• Why do you think God choose these particular commandments to reveal to the Israelites at this point in history?
• How are the Ten Commandments important in our day?

Contrast the Ten Commandments with the two great commandments identified by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:36-40

• How do the Ten Commandments relate to the first and second great commandments identified by Jesus Christ?

Sister Carole M. Stephens, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, told about this experience she had with her three-year-old granddaughter, Chloe, that illustrated why we have commandments.

I buckled Chloe into her car seat, secured my own seat belt, and drove out of their driveway. However, before we reached the end of the street, Chloe had unbuckled her seat belt and was standing up, looking over my shoulder, and talking to me! I pulled the car over to the side of the road, got out, and buckled her back into her seat.

We started again but had gone only a short distance when she was out of her seat again. I repeated the same steps, but this time before I could even get back into the car and fasten my own seat belt, Chloe was already standing up!

I found myself sitting in a car, parked on the side of the road, having a power struggle with a three-year-old. And she was winning!

I used every idea I could think of to convince her that remaining fastened in her car seat was a good idea. She was not convinced! I finally decided to try the if/then approach.

I said, “Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your car seat, then as soon as we get to Grandma’s house, we can play with play dough.”

No response.

“Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can make bread when we get to Grandma’s house.”

No response.

I tried again. “Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can stop at the market for a treat!”

After three attempts, I realized this was a futile exercise. She was determined, and no amount of if/then was enough to convince her to remain fastened in her seat.

We couldn’t spend the day sitting on the edge of the road, but I wanted to be obedient to the law, and it wasn’t safe to drive with Chloe standing up. I offered a silent prayer and heard the Spirit whisper, “Teach her.”

I turned to face her and pulled my seat belt away from my body so she could see it. I said, “Chloe, I am wearing this seat belt because it will protect me. But you aren’t wearing your seat belt, and you won’t be safe. And I will be so sad if you get hurt.”

She looked at me; I could almost see the wheels turning in her little mind as I waited anxiously for her response. Finally, her big blue eyes brightened, and she said, “Grandma, you want me to wear my seat belt because you love me!”

The Spirit filled the car as I expressed my love for this precious little girl. I didn’t want to lose that feeling, but I knew I had an opportunity, so I got out and secured her in her car seat. Then I asked, “Chloe, will you please stay in your car seat?” And she did—all the way to the market for a treat! And she stayed buckled all the way from the market to my home, where we made bread and played with play dough because Chloe did not forget!

As I drove back onto the road that day, a scripture filled my mind: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”¹ We have rules to teach, guide, and protect children. Why? Because of the great love we have for them. But until Chloe understood that my desire for her to remain securely fastened in her car seat was because of my love for her, she was unwilling to submit to what she considered a restriction. She felt her seat belt limited her freedom.

Like Chloe, we can choose to see commandments as limitations. We may feel at times that God’s laws restrict our personal freedom, take from us our agency, and limit our growth. But as we seek for greater understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience to His laws is an expression of our love for Him.

—Carole M. Stephens, “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” General Conference, October 2015

• How did providing the Ten Commandments demonstrate God’s love for the children of Israel?