Exodus 18 tells the story of Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, leading a feast while Moses’ family is with him. When Jethro sees that Moses is working too hard, he suggests that he seek help from good men to assist with the minor cases. It will enable Moses to teach the law that God has given him. Moses follows his assignment and creates a system to handle more cases and ensure fairness. We are taught that we must admit when we are wrong and see the other side of things by listening to one another. It can make life seem easier once we convince ourselves that we are right, but we must listen to others if we expect them to listen to us.  Upon learning that God had allowed the Israelites to escape and that Moses was in the wilderness, Jethro came to see him with Moses’ family. The reunion is joyous as they connect. Upon hearing about the events of the Exodus, Jethro became convinced of God’s power. He brought sacrifices to the Lord and invited the elders of Israel to dine with them, thereby honoring God.

Moses wouldn’t admit that helping people with conflict resolution was becoming too much for him to handle. The interactions between Moses and Jethro teach us how to share responsibilities, listen to advice and learn from others, maintain healthy relationships with family and friends, and be part of Christ-centered communities. We are taught to be humble, trustworthy, and Godly leaders by challenging and encouraging others. It’s essential to pray and ask God to help us battle pride, fear, insecurity, anger, and the desire for control. We must ask ourselves if we would rather be right or Christ-like.

We must be genuinely curious when we attempt to show interest in others. Jethro learned about God when he listened to what Moses had to say about him. Upon listening to Moses, he knew that God was above other gods. Jethro began talking to Moses about the burden he had as Israel’s mediator and requested help from others.
It’s honorable to admit you’re wrong and others are right. It’s an act of love when we give and receive respectfully. God used Jethro to give his message to Moses. We may grow to think that being in leadership means doing whatever we want and making others do it too, but a leader in a family or otherwise means that others look to us to do the right thing. Leaders must listen to understand how to lead properly, and healthy leaders want to be led as well. It’s essential to be able to accept criticism from people with Godly motives we can trust. Listening and considering one’s advice can be a sign of love and respect. We learn why Jesus loves us, and therefore, we love him. Jesus wants a relationship with us, so we must pray to him. We must want to hear from him as much as we want him to listen to us. We can do this by reading the Bible and engaging in prayer.