When a group of children were asked to draw a picture of a leader, their portraits were insightful. Emma, age 3, drew her teacher, Ms. Noreen, because “she teaches me.” Jack, age 6, drew a picture of himself leading a pack of turtles to safety. He said, “A leader is someone who makes sure that a place is safe.”
We learn a great deal about godly leadership by considering the life of Moses. Through his father-in-law Reuel, Moses discovered that he still had things to learn. Today’s chapter begins with what was no doubt a welcome reunion between Moses and his family. Reuel—also known as “Jethro,” apparently a title meaning “his excellency”—gave praise for the story so far, sacrificed a burnt offering, and ate a meal “in the presence of God” (vv. 9–12).
An experienced leader, Jethro observed that the Israelites were wearing Moses out with their needs and demands (v. 18). In the context of God’s overall leadership, Jethro offered Moses advice to fix this state of affairs, and Moses humbly took it, with positive results. The advice was built on three principles. First, delegate. Moses should assign responsibility, sharing the load and developing more leaders. Second, prioritize. He should tend to top-level responsibilities, that is, God’s decrees and instructions (v. 20), while others looked after implementation and application. Third, have a backup plan. When the system didn’t work, he could personally judge the most difficult cases.
What were the qualifications for these leaders in training? In today’s world, we choose leaders who are creative, articulate, and dynamic. But the profile of leadership in Exodus is simply of those who were capable, trustworthy, feared the Lord, and hated dishonest gain (that is, they could not be corrupted by bribes) (v. 21).
Pray with Us
The Moody Bible Institute student missions conference starts tomorrow. Your prayers will be an encouragement to Dr. Bryan O’Neal, vice president and associate provost, and his staff as they prepare for this four-day event.
BY Brad Baurain
Dr. Bradley Baurain is Associate Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He has just published his first book, On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.