Rev. Ian Watson
LISTENING TO GOOD VOICES
As leaders, it is always good to listen to those who are close to us and have our best interest at heart, good, but not always easy. After all, it is us who are sold out, focused on and driven by the vision we are pursuing. However, sometimes we can be so busy driving what we are building we forget to stand back and see the wider concept and so get caught up with management rather than leadership.
In Exodus 18: 17 Jethro said to Moses – ‘What you are doing is not good.’ What a cheek!!
How would Jethro know? What had he built? Jethro, don’t you know this is Moses, one of the greatest leaders ever? Well, whatever the answer, Jethro saw something that Moses didn’t.
A. That he was heading for total breakdown – (v.18) ‘You and these people will only wear yourselves out.’
B. That he wasn’t the best at everything – (v.21) ‘Select capable people…. and appoint them over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens’ – in other words, delegate.
Delegation can only realistically be carried out by secure leaders who know they aren’t superman. What a relief it was to me when I realised I didn’t have to be good at everything. It’s interesting in a football team the captain isn’t necessarily the best individual player but usually the best person to captain the team. The fact is that many best individual players would make dreadful team captains.
- That we can work smarter at helping people – What an inspiring comment verse 23 should be to every leader, even though it might sound an impossibility – ‘You will be able to stand the strain and all these people will go home satisfied.’
In some recent studies, of which I don’t know the original source, I found these comments about the differences between the perceptions of Moses and Jethro really helped me. I trust that they will also help you to see the value of those working close to us who genuinely have our best interest at heart.
1. Jethro provided correction because he saw differently than Moses did – Ex 18: 17, 18, ‘What you are doing is not good.’
2. Jethro provided direction because he saw further than Moses did – Ex 18: 19, 20, ‘I will give you some advice.’
3. Jethro provided structure because he saw clearer than Moses did – Ex 18: 21, 22, ‘Select capable people.’
4. Jethro provided support because he saw deeper than Moses did – Ex 18: 23, ‘You will be able to do this.’
5. Jethro provided confidence because he saw more than Moses did. In verse 27 Moses was now confident enough to send Jethro home.
