Scripture Reading: Exodus 18:13-23
“Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.”—Exodus 18:18
As he visited the Israelites during their journey towards the Promised Land, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, observed Moses serving as judge over matters presented by the people. As the sole judge for the entire nation, Moses’ time was consumed by this task. Likewise, the people waited all day to present their concerns to Moses. Jethro’s solution: Establish a system of lower judges to decide smaller matters so Moses could focus on larger cases.
There’s so much to do today and so little time in which to do it all. Our solution to action packed lives is to multitask our living. We frustrate ourselves and others because we try to accomplish more than can be done alone. We’ve succumbed to the fallacy that if we don’t do it no one can. Yet, sometimes in trying to do more on our own, we really accomplish less.
Here, we see the wisdom of sharing our burdens. No one person can do everything. No one can be all things to all people. It’s foolish to think we’re the center of the universe and nothing succeeds unless we’re doing it ourselves. That’s not only foolish, it’s conceited.
As we rise in levels of responsibility in our various spheres of influence, we must rise in our ability to trust others to share our burdens. We frustrate everyone by making ourselves the single point of success or failure in any enterprise. We fail to empower others to help by carrying our burdens alone. Even more, we ignore our greatest source of power when we don’t seek God’s help with our burdens.
Like Moses, is too much on your plate today? Are you trusting others to help with burdens that weren’t designed to be carried alone? More importantly, are you trusting God to be your principal source of strength today?
Question to Ponder: Are you trusting God with burdens never designed to be carried alone?
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:6-7
