Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee

Exo 18:21  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Moses was a great leader but not a great administrator. Despite his age, he kept himself very busy from morning to evening. All Israel came to him to inquire of God and to judge in their disputes they had with their brethren. Imagine, one judge for the whole nation. Jethro, his father-in-law came to visit him and saw how he sat while the people stood from morning to evening patiently waiting for him. It’s like waiting in line in a super long queue at a doctor’s clinic. The doctor will be stressed out and the patients tired out from waiting. Jethro said to Moses: “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone,” (Exodus 18:17-18).

Jethro is right: the work was just too much for one person to bear it alone; Moses would wear out himself. It is far better to set a thousand people to work than attempt to do the work of a thousand. The wise Jethro gave some good advice to Moses: “Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Exodus 18:21).

He advised Moses to find qualified men to help him in the work.

1. They must be ABLE men. They are men who are capable, who have the gift to do such work. Moses is to teach them the law of God and show them the work they must do (vs 20).

The church needs ABLE men to serve. Unfortunately, many are ABLE but not willing; they won’t want to serve. Some are ABLE but can’t; perhaps due to health or sin in their lives. We are stewards of the talents God has given to us. And, God will call us to give an account of this stewardship (Luke 16:2). With great gift, comes great responsibility: Use your gift to serve God! “Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents” (Matthew 25:16).

2. The must be GOD-FEARING men. Christ told a parable about a certain judge who feared neither God nor men (Luke 18:2). We don’t want to have this kind of judge. This is the kind of judge that makes law that is against the Law of God. This kind of judge is corrupt and immoral. It is such kind of judge that passes laws that approve gay marriages. A God-fearing nation will have God-fearing judges that make laws that are in line with the Law of God. Let us seek counsel only from God-fearing persons. Let the church appoints only God-fearing men to lead: “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).

3. They must be men with INTEGRITY. They are men who are honest and true in their own hearts and lives; speaking the truth, and judging according to the truth. They will not tell a lie, betray a trust, or act deceitfully. “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3, ESV).

4. They must be men who hate COVETUOUSNESS. They cannot be bribed. Covetous men execute wrong judgment for the sake of money. But men with integrity and hate covetousness will judge righteously. They act in the most honourable and just way. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9).

Let us choose leaders who are able (capable), God-fearing (faithful), with integrity (honest), and who are not covetous (spiritual). May we aspire such godly character in ourselves that we may be instruments of good use for the Master. “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.