Although summarised in a few verses of the scriptures, Jethro’s meeting with Moses had profound effects, not just in the maintenance of the health of Moses and the people who had to stand for hours, but in the governance of the people of God, Israel, and their relationship with God.
This meeting brought about the open teaching of laws and ordinances to all, the appointment and assigning of responsibilities to leaders, the establishment of lower and higher courts and so on.
Timeless leadership and moral lessons have since been deduced from that passage of the scriptures; lessons applicable today.
This article highlights a few leadership lessons I learnt from reading these verses. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. The story is found in Exodus 18:14-26.
1. Humility is fundamental in leadership.
You don’t know everything no matter how high you get and how close you are to God. Humility enthrones and maintains a leader; arrogance and pride demote him.
Moses was a wise, godly, and great leader, but didn’t know this aspect of leadership called delegation. For several months, many people have stood before him daily to address their matters. Someone more experienced like Jethro had to counsel him and Moses humbly accepted.
2. God speaks through men to men
One of the salient lessons in leadership, especially in Christian leadership is that divine direction can come through men to you.
Although God saw Moses judge the Israelites daily, he didn’t talk to Moses about it. He allowed Moses until Jethro came and observed it.
Expecting God to speak to you about every aspect of leadership will not be possible. He has given you men, listen to them. Also, he has given men knowledge to author books and teach on many subjects regarding leadership. Get those materials and learn from them.
3. Say the truth to leaders
We have decayed institutions because many people choose sycophancy over truth. Many prefer to massage the egos of their leaders to say the truth.
Jethro told Moses that what he was doing to the people was not right. He didn’t just agree after Moses had told him about how people come to him to enquire from God, and how he judges and teaches the ways of God.
Leaders need men who can tell them when their policies hurt the people they are meant to oversee their welfare.
4. Bad leadership strategies affect both the leader and the led
I recently visited a city with multiple billionaires but bad leadership. Of course, some of the billionaires are close friends and associates of the political class, but they have refused to tell them how badly their corrupt practices affect the people.
The results are bad or inexistent road networks, poor health care facilities, poor electricity, and poor housing. While these rich men may boast a few possessions, they eventually ply the same ugly roads and suffer from the terrible health infrastructure.
Indeed, bad leadership affects everyone in the long run, including those who feel shielded today.
Jethro told Moses that he would surely weary himself and the people. No one is excluded from the effects of bad leadership.
5. A leader should focus on the primary role
The primary function during Israel’s movement to the promised land was to bring the people’s intractable causes or issues to God, hear from God, and direct the people accordingly.
The direction also involves teaching everyone in the camp ordinances, laws, rules and regulations for life, duties, and rights.
Leaders need to focus on the most important aspects of their organisation. In the early stages of building a group, you can be everywhere, but when it begins to grow, you must shrink and focus on its core needs—vision and direction.
Teaching people means that everyone should learn the vision and mission of the organisation and then build structures for reminders to those who will come later.
Let knowledge be dispensed to all and not reserved for you alone. That way you focus on the fundamental role of that organisation.
6. Raise men from the people
The leader’s greatness is in the quality of the men he has raised to do what he can. This was the counsel of Jethro, “select from the people able men….”
On many occasions, it is best to pick leaders from the inside. Except a complete disruption is needed in an organisation, else, one who has understood the vision and mission of the organisation and has been involved in its execution should be counted worthy of a leadership position.
The leaders Moses chose understood the pains of the people. So, it was easy for them to hear from the people and pass up to Moses. Then, learn from Moses and pass down the information to the people.
These chosen men must have certain qualities that distinguish them from others. Qualities that are found in the leader and which the people appreciate. This is similar to what happened in Acts 6.
Now, you train these men further, to refine them to lead others. Moses did this a few times, calling for only these leaders or elders to meet with him.
7. These men must also have clearly defined responsibilities according to their capabilities.
It is not enough to appoint men to offices, they must be given responsibilities, and such responsibilities must be calibrated to their strengths.
Moses was advised to make some men leaders over thousands, others over hundreds, leaders over fifties and others over tens, and he did exactly that. Each leader’s responsibilities were clearly defined and the limit of their operations as well – the hard issues must get to Moses.
Appointment into offices was purely on merit – by God’s Spirit and through making enquiries from the people concerning men of substance and sound character.
8. Burden is shared in leadership.
Leadership is burden-bearing, leadership is tasking and many times draining. However, no law restricts you from sharing the burden with others.
Being a leader is not how long you stress yourself and others. That’s a misconception that some people have. Yes, there is stress, but it doesn’t have to be how you have made it to be.
Some people’s understanding of leadership is still that of Moses before the arrival of Jethro, where he did everything alone and delegated none.
As leaders, we must learn to distribute burdens. You can carry the heaviest, but you must not carry everything.
9. Subject your plans to God’s approval
Jethro asked Moses to seek God’s will concerning what he had just told him. However, it seems Moses didn’t need to pray about it. He understood that this was right and went ahead to execute it without delay.
God is the Caller, he knows and understands the abilities and inabilities of men. Commit your thoughts to him and let him direct your plans.
