Word In Life Study Bible
PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR EXERCISING LEADERSHIP
Ex.18:13-23
The Bible offers many principles and models to help leaders serve their people more effectively. Of course, Scripture was not written as a management manual, and one has to be careful about misinterpreting and misapplying the biblical text. Nevertheless, a number of passages are directly related to leadership issues. Moses’ conversation with Jethro (Ex. 18:13–23) is one of the most significant. Notice a number of principles that flow out of this exchange:
• (1 Moses, himself a man of authority, respected the authority of Jethro (18:7, 24). It would have been easy and perhaps even natural for Moses to become defensive and protect his own political “turf” when Jethro offered advice. But instead, Moses showed him respect and then listened and responded willingly to the counsel of his father-in-law. If you’re a leader, can you expect those under you to respect your authority if you do not respect the authorities over you?
• (2 Authority has a way of becoming intoxicating (18:14–15. Moses apparently knew little about delegation of responsibility. That may explain why he was overburdened. But when Jethro asked him why “you alone sit, and all the people stand before you,” he replied that “the people come to me to inquire of God.” Could it be that the statement reflects the intoxicating allure of being in charge? Fortunately, Moses seemed eager to give up some of his centralized control. How about you? Do you find yourself reluctant to share power because of the boost it gives your ego to have others dependent on you?
• (3 Authority should be invested in others prudently (18:21. Jethro was not suggesting that Moses merely fill a handful of leadership positions, the way so many do, with relatives and cronies. Rather, he described job qualifications based on proven character. In doing so, Jethro gave a reminder that delegation is a privilege, not a right. A leader ought to consider the quality and ability of prospective appointees.
• (4 Authority is a resource to be invested in others (18:22–23. By delegating authority to subordinates, Moses would unleash incredible energy that would take the people much further as a community than if he retained centralized control. People often think of authority as a position to be preserved. In fact, authority is a resource to be used up in empowering others to act more effectively.
• (5 Effective leadership increases the health and longevity of an organization and its people (18:22–23. Moses probably prolonged his own life and ensured the progress of the nation by appointing effective judges. No organization can long survive if only a handful of its workers are involved in the task. But by giving each member a stake in the outcome, leaders can bring far more eyes, ears, brains, and hands to bear on complex decisions. Is your organization set up for maximum effectiveness?
Study notes from the Word In Life Study Bible, copyright 1993,1996, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. The study notes from the Word In Life Study Bible appearing at this web site are for personal use only.
Print
Email
