So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. . . So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves”. Exodus 18: 17, 18, 24-26, NKJV
Gracious God, thank You so much for Your loving kindness and tender mercies. We need You with all our heart. Please come divinely close and bless us. This we ask in the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our first devotional on extended family members dealt with the relationship between daughters-in-law, and mothers-in-law. Today we will look at two examples of relationships between sons-in-law, and fathers-in-law; one positive, and one, not so positive. We will begin with the relationship between Moses and his father-in-law.
The words of our Scripture reading is the advice that Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law gave to him, when he came to bring Moses’ wife and children. Even in our day, his advice to Moses, serves as a classical example of delegation, and a wise and effective, way of organizing the church into small groups, so that everyone can have a part, in finishing the work, before the Lord returns. Good for Moses, he took his advice!
It seems that from the very beginning, Moses and his father-in-law, had a good relationship. The day his seven daughters returned from the well and told their father about this “Egyptian” who had defended them from the shepherds, Jethro seemed impressed, and wanted to meet this brave young man. He invited him to live with them, and eventually gave him one of his daughters in marriage (Exodus 2: 16-21).
When Moses heeded the call of God and returned to Egypt to lead out in the emancipation of God’s people, he left his wife and sons at home with her father. After the news of the miraculous work of liberation wrought by God on behalf of His people was aired abroad, Jethro took his daughter and two grandsons and journeyed to the wilderness to congratulate Moses, and at the same time to re-unite the family. It was at this time that he advised Moses to get help for the great task that God had called him to do.
Moses could have felt, that he was above taking Jethro’s advice; as the chosen leader of such a famous cause, he could have felt that it was he who should be advising Jethro. Instead, in meekness, and respect, like a son would give heed to his father, he obeyed, and was blessed! When there is harmony at home, the members of the household are blessed. And extended family members, are also family, and honorary members of our household!
There is another story of a father-in-law, who was not as noble as Jethro. He apparently was more interested in what he could get out of the relationship, than in having a relationship . I am referring to the relationship between Jacob and Laban. As a result of Laban’s greed and selfish, unfair, dealings with Jacob, both of his daughters and their families suffered! There was polygamy, and rivalry, disrespect for their father, and all kinds of negative effects on the members of the convoluted household!
And notice what a difference between the parting of both sons, and fathers-in-laws, in the two stories. One had to “sign a peace treaty” (Genesis 31: 51-53); while the other simply, “parted in peace” (Exodus 18: 27). May God help us to live peaceably with all men, and especially those of our extended families (my paraphrasing of Galatians 6: 10).
NOTE: These counsels are shared from a Biblical, not a clinical, perspective.
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Mabel