and let it be that every major dispute they will
bring to you, but every minor dispute they them-
selves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and
they will bear the burden with you. “If you do
this thing and God so commands you, then you
will be able to endure, and all these people also
will go to their place in peace.” Exodus 18:17-23
What a beautiful reminder of what
serving God together should look like.
Not a selfish casting away of responsibility,
but an intentional choosing of others to
shoulder the burden with us. Those we select
must be men and women who are capable
and honest. They should fear God and hate
sin. By inviting them to share the weight, we
can serve others more effectively and bear
the load together.
However, in the process of seeking after
human help, we must not forget our greatest
deliverer. Before picking up the phone to
call for backup, we should first seek after
God’s guidance. Even in Jethro’s concluding
statement, He submits his advice to God’s
authority “If you do this thing and God so
commands you, then you will be able to
endure, and all these people also will go
16 HimPower March/April 2019
to their place in peace.” (vs 23 emphasis
mine). Ultimately, God’s instruction must
be our greatest influence. We can make this
a priority by asking Him directly, “Should I
dive into this need or is there someone else
whom I should approach about stepping
in?”
In conclusion, it is important to reach
out for help instead of shouldering all of our
responsibilities alone. But the motivation
shouldn’t lie in wiggling ourselves out of
unwanted tasks. On the contrary, our hearts
must be rooted in the glory of God and the
service of others. In the process, we also
humbly acknowledge that the burden is too
heavy for us to bear on our own. Above all,
we seek after God to direct us. He is by far
our greatest help.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
Juliane Wiebracht is a homemaker in Longview,
TX who shares God’s love with women who are
incarcerated.