Monday Rewrite Moses has a straight talking father in-law. Jethro’s about to pay him a visit in the desert and if his daughter’s anything to go by then he’s very probably a no-nonsense kind of guy. Well, here he is, knocking on the tent flap and asking to see the guy in charge.
“Hey Mo, how’s it going?”
“Well, apart from nearly being slaughtered, then nearly drowning and now nearly starving – we’re doing really well. And don’t call me Mo. I’m supposed to be respected round here.”
“So I heard Mo, is that why you’ve got a long line of moaners outside your tent?”
“Yea, and it looks like you jumped the queue, they won’t be happy.”
And as if on cue a face appears through the gap in the tent.
“He jumped the queue.”
“He’s family! Respect my family!”
The face disappears, Jethro slaps Moses on the shoulder.
“Mo, take a break. Take a walk. Come on, we can slip out the back.”
Leadership’s tough. Especially if you’ve not commanded an entire nation before.
“They look to me for everything,” says Moses. “I didn’t ask for this.”
“Yea, but natural leadership just leaks out. If it’s in there the dogs come sniffing around you. These people know you have the clout. You’ve got the aroma of the Big Man about you, Mo.”
“Well it’s too much.”
“Too right, it’s too much,” says Jethro. “Back off. Delegate!”
“I can’t! I’m the leader.”
“That’s not what I heard. I heard it was you and Aaron.”
Moses frowns. “I know, I asked for that initially. But if you want something doing…”
“Sure, do it yourself. And die before thirty.”
“Well that’s unlikely. I’m 81.”
“Mo, listen. You’re not the only leader round here. There are hundreds, and if you don’t use them pretty soon they’ll get bored. And then there’ll be trouble, cause if you ain’t got time to see everyone, everyone’ll start looking to the other leaders. So bring ‘em all in to your net. Get all the bosses together, brief ‘em, oversee ‘em and let them do what they’re good at. Don’t try and do it all. You should oversee your generals. No one else. Let the leaders deal with the man on the street, or on the sand in your case. Trust me, I know what I’m saying.”
“Jethro – give me a break.”
“I am giving you a break. It’s exactly what I’m giving you.”
Moses is left pondering. Once again humility comes knocking. He must dig deep, listen to the voice of God coming at him through his father-in-law. He wants to do things his way. But he senses God at work here. He bites his lip, and bites the bullet…
Exodus 18:13-27
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