Boldy Speaking Out
Exodus 18:19-23
19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
Observation
Mose’s father-in-law, Jethro, spoke at the appropriate time to Moses to offer advice that would lighten his load and allow Moses to teach and lead the Israelites effectively. Jethro ‘spoke out’ in a timely manner to mentor Moses, knowing from experience, that Moses couldn’t teach effectively and was headed toward burnout without the help of other seasoned leaders to assist him. This was a teachable moment for Moses and showed his maturity as a leader to accept advice from an elder with humility, respect and trust.
Application
Everyone needs a mentor and to be a mentor at the same time to the younger generation. The Old Testament has many examples about passing the baton of faith and God’s decrees from one generation to the next, effectively. It takes a partnership between the older and younger generation to reach out and reach our family, community and world with God’s grace & love. Both generations are important and significant in God’s eyes and have a lot to contribute, Joel 2:28, since your old men shall dream dreams, and young men shall see visions to spread the gospel to all the world. Speaking out also requires boldness and courage and to guard our words so that it ‘builds up’ with God’s grace.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, let me have the eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouth to speak out in a timely manner to mentor those that you want me to share and speak life with. Help me to connect and develop close relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ and also non-believers so that they may see Jesus’s love and grace thru me. Let me use my time effectively and not squander it for your glory and increase my intercessory prayer for others. Amen.