Doing what only you can do That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. —Exodus 18:22
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n advising Moses on how to avoid a burnout, Jethro did two things. First, he laid out Moses’ main role, which was to be the people’s representative before God and teach them His statutes (Exodus 18:19–20). This was a role that only Moses could fill.
Then, he showed Moses that his other role of being their judge could be delegated. Appoint others to judge the simpler cases, he said, and take only the most difficult ones. “That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you,” he pointed out. “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 18:22–23).
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By discerning between the roles that only he, Moses, could play, and those that others could take over, Moses could avoid over-burdening himself without compromising his service to the people. How can we do the same thing today? Earlier, you listed down the roles that you currently play. Now, take a good look at your list and start marking out those roles that you alone can fill. (You can mark your list on Pages 48 and 49, or write down the roles in the next two pages.) For example, no one but you can be God’s daughter, your parent’s son, your husband’s wife, or your son’s father. You’ll find that most of these roles, if not all, involve your relationships with God and your family.
