Editor’s Note: The Importance of Receiving Advice
Exodus 18:19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
I’ve always wanted a Spiritual mentor. Recently, God revealed to me that I had one in my mother. For many years I sought out counsel at church, from friends, in my relationships, but no advice compared to my moms. Her counsel was wise, humble, personal , and always relative to the Bible. I appreciate her advice. It has never steered me wrong.
When reading Exodus chapter 18, I was reminded of the benefit of receiving advice from someone you trust. The chapter shared the story of Moses in the wilderness along with the Israelites, and occurrences that took place right after their escape from from Egypt. A little time after their escape, Moses received a visit from his Father-in-law, Jethro, along with his wife and two sons ( which he had left in his father-in-law’s care to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of Pharaoh). During Jethro’s stay, he witnesses Moses taking on the responsibility as judge over all of the Israelites .
Exodus 18:13
The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.
Now the Israelites were a large number of people ( thousands upon thousands), and Jethro told Moses that he and the people would tire out from the way that Moses had decided on settling disputes. He advised Moses to appoint other righteous men as judges over simple disputes and for them to bring the more difficult disputes to Moses. Moses listened to this advice and then Jethro went back to his own country .
19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 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. 22 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.
Friends and family , sometimes our own decisions or the way we may think to do things is not always right. It is important that we seek mentors on decisions that may be hard or confusing, as the advice can provide us with insight and benefit our future. If you do not know who to go to for advice, pray to God to send you someone or ask him to reveal to you who your mentor is. He did it for Moses with counsel from his Father -in- law , Elisha from the prophet Elijah , Timothy from Paul, and many others . He has done it also for me and will provide for you too.
Be Encouraged
Noelani
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