The Wisdom of Jethro

After the children of Israel’s miraculous escape from Egypt, they traveled to Mount Sinai, presumably in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. This was relatively close to Midian where Zipporah’s family was and where Moses had lived in his days of exile. It appears from the text that Zipporah and her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, must have traveled to Midian to tell Jethro of all that had happened. We read that “Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God.” Jethro traveled to the camp of Israel with Zipporah and the two sons of Moses and Zipporah and met with Moses. I love the description of their reunion: “And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.” Clearly there was a strong bond between Moses and Jethro after the many years that they had spent together in Midian where Moses had learned of the Lord from his father-in-law. When Jethro heard of the great deliverance of the children of Israel and how the Lord had blessed them, he “rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians” (Exodus 18:2-10). Jethro was truly happy for Moses and all the Israelites and could recognize and rejoice in the Lord’s goodness towards others. His reaction is not unlike Alma’s when he learned of the great missionary success of the sons of Mosiah: “My joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi. Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward! Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy” (Alma 29:14-16). Jethro and Alma both show us that we can find great joy in the goodness of God towards others if, in humility, we look to see the hand of God in their lives.

                The counsel that Jethro subsequently gave to Moses is very relevant to us today. The day after Jethro’s arrival, “Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.” Jethro asked him, “What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?” Moses clearly was trying to help as many people as he could and responded, “Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.” Moses felt the weight of leadership and sought to magnify his office by being available to all the people who came to him needing help. Jethro’s response may first seem surprising when he learned of the great service Moses was trying to render to his people: “The thing that thou doest is not good.” He then explained, “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone” (Exodus 18:13-18). It may be that he was concerned about his own daughter and grandchildren who were perhaps being a bit neglected Moses because of the time that he was away from them seeing to the needs of the people. The words of King Benjamin could summarize Jethro’s message to Moses and us: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27). Although Amaleki taught us that we are to “offer [our] whole souls as an offering to him,” this does not mean that we have to give so much that we neglect our families and don’t take the time to care for ourselves (Omni 1:26). We must find ways to balance our service in the Lord’s kingdom and with wisdom serve both our families and our brothers and sisters so that we can “be able to endure” and be able to “go to [our] place in peace” (Exodus 18:23).