Who is your Jethro? No, not the guy from Beverly Hillbilly’s.  The other one.  Still don’t know?  I’ll get to him in a few minutes. In leadership you (sometimes) find yourself being thrust into awkward situations. We walk into differing settings with our own set of preconceived notions of how things should be done and set about completing the task at hand. In most cases, we base those notions on our own personal experiences. I’ve been blessed to serve under some great and not-so-great leaders. Like me, they all had their share of bad habits. Some dubbed themselves the Lone Ranger and tried to carry the entire weight of the ministry entrusted them on their own shoulders. I’ve mentioned in past blogs that this is one such bad habit I had to break early in my ministry time. I have watched as some burned out all while vowing I wouldn’t let the same happen to me. In many cases, I turned around and still repeated those same failed behaviors. The need for balance in our lives is a necessity. And finding it doesn’t come easy as the level of balance is different for everyone. Tipping the scale too far in one direction or another can have disastrous results.

I am a firm believer that healthy balance comes in the form of Godly counsel. Consider Moses for a moment. He’s probably feeling extremely accomplished and blessed having led thousands upon thousands of Israelites out of Egypt. Though God had used him to accomplish something huge, he has now become a babysitter of every person he led out of captivity…..and he has his hands full. His father-in-law, Jethro the priest, comes to visit him and offer sacrifices of thanks unto God for the miracles he has performed through Moses on the Egyptians behalf. While there he sees Moses governing over the people alone and serving as judge from morning to night. Realizing Moses was heading for disaster, Jethro recommends to Moses, “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.  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.  If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” [Exodus 18:21-23] Moses did as his father in law recommended and things began to flow more smoothly. Back to my original question, who is your Jethro? In other words, who are you surrounding yourself with? Who do you allow to speak into your life? Anyone can give you their opinion on a subject but what you need is Godly counsel from someone who loves you, has your best interest at heart, and longs to see you accomplish that which God has anointed and called you to do.

Closing remarks and encouragement: If you don’t have a Jethro, ask God to send you one. Then allow them to speak to you directly. God never created you to be an island, alone and carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. It’s important that we adjust our unrealistic expectations and link arms with fellow men and women of God to complete the work of the kingdom.