Exodus 18

13–27 Jethro noticed that Moses was overburdened with the duties of leadership. So he made a practical suggestion: delegate some of the duties to others. This would allow Moses to concentrate on those matters only he could handle, and at the same time it would develop and encourage other leaders within the community of Israel. Too often leaders think they are indispensable, that only they are competent to carry out the duties of leadership; but such an attitude is plainly arrogant. For Moses, Jethro’s advice was wise; it’s wise for us as well. A New Testament example of the wisdom of delegation is found in Acts 6:1–6.

But notice that Jethro’s advice needed confirmation from the Lord (verse 23). A particular course of action may seem wise to a man, but not to God; we need to seek God’s approval for every new course of action we take⁵³ (Proverbs 3:5–7).

The people Moses chose to help him needed to be qualified for leadership. They needed to be capable, they needed to fear God,⁵⁴ they had to be trustworthy, and they had to be men who hated dishonest gain (verse 21). This is a useful list of qualifications for leadership in any Christian organization. Similar qualifications are listed in 1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9; 1 Peter 5:1–4.