Why people grumble

King David performed this role 2 Samuel as did Solomon 1 Kings Allowing access to the top ruler was a wonderful tradition. But in an unorganized government, it was consuming and draining. Jethro tells him:. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him.

He is suggesting a role-change for Moses. Instead of being the main judge, he is to become the top judge in a judicial infrastructure. Moses is to teach the law and train capable people who can then judge run-of-the-mill cases. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.

It's not uncommon for Christian leaders to have a Messiah-complex and think that they are indispensable. It feels good to the ego to be needed! Such leaders feel they must do everything and make all the decisions. But when they do so, they limit the size of their ministry.

A single full-time pastor can care for perhaps members in a small congregation. But for a church to grow beyond that, the pastor must grow beyond being a shepherd, and learn to be a rancher who gets the work done through ranch hands. To his credit, Moses didn't respond to Jethro, "What makes you think you know everything?

You've never had to lead more than a tribe, let alone a nation! Who do you think you are? The role of New Testament leaders is not to do the work of ministry all by themselves, but to teach, train, and equip others to do the work of the ministry. It is important, however, in observing this lesson in delegation, to take note that Moses doesn't abdicate his role as leader, nor does he give up his overall authority.

He handles the hard cases. Later, when the tabernacle is being built, Moses delegates the day-to-day construction and direction of craftsmen to Bazalel and Oholiab Exodus , but Moses is the one who received the vision on the mountain. He is responsible to see that everything is done "exactly like the pattern" that God has shown him Exodus , At the end of construction he inspects the work to make sure they followed the instructions that he had received and passed on to them Exodus Delegation requires accountability.

While we are on the topic of delegating, let's skip ahead to a later time when Moses is struggling again under the burden of leadership. He has delegated the judicial functions of his office, but not the day-to-day execution of decision-making. He is burned out. He hears the people crying for food and just can't handle it any more. He says to the Lord:. Instead of rebuking him for his petulance, God understands him and lets it pass. He instructs Moses:.

Moses' job is to gather accredited leaders from the various tribes -- people who are recognized leaders -- and gather them together at the tabernacle. God does the rest. But they did not do so again. God puts his Holy Spirit on the elders to equip them to share Moses' ministry. But observe that their experience of prophecy a sign of the coming of the Spirit 23 was not continuous, but only an initial experience. Moses own experience of God as the nation's prophet Deuteronomy was continuous.

When Joshua wants to quench the Spirit on a couple of leaders who didn't make it to the meeting, but who were prophesying in the camp, Moses says poignantly,. By these words, Moses looks forward to the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit is poured out on all. The leadership lesson is that we can't do the work of God adequately by just competency and recognition as leaders.

We must possess the Spirit of God! Luke We can learn a lot from studying secular leadership. But there's a limit. Secular leadership relies on human wisdom to make decision. Christian leadership combines natural wisdom with listening to what the Holy Spirit says. Christian leadership relies on God's direction and his power to accomplish the task. Never forget that!

Exodus ; Numbers Why do you think it took Moses so long to delegate his judicial role to others? What were the qualifications of these judges? How is Moses' role similar to the role of leaders in Ephesians ? What is the importance of the anointing of the Spirit in Christian leadership? Available as an e-book and paperback Leadership is never easy -- and sometimes not much fun at all!

The leader must take upon himself the loneliness of office, the criticisms of the people, the responsibility to remain steady during the battle, the care of the people, and the task of training and delegating authority to leaders under him. This is why the author of Hebrews says:. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Heavenly Father, we come to you with the heavy task of leading your people. We pray for our leaders. Give them wisdom, faith, stamina, and courage. When they are weak, strengthen them. When they are discouraged, bless them with renewed vision and faith. In Jesus' name, we pray. Hartley, TWOT Cole Exodus , p. Driver, Exodus who refers to De Lesseps who mentioned that modern Arabs used the barberry bush. Cole says, "No doubt the need was to find some pungent or aromatic shrub whose flavor would cover the mineral taste and make the water palatable.

In the Niphal stem as here , it carries the reflexive idea of a group assembling themselves Jack P. Lewis, TWOT It is used with the preposition 'al , "against.

Culver, TWOT Oswalt, TWOT a. Keil and Delitzsch, Exodus , p. Childs, Exodus , p. Harrison, Numbers Baker, , p. The idea of physical combat is primary with this word, but here it carries the idea of verbal combat, "to quarrel, to chide one another" Robert D. Culver, TWOT and c. Why "Horeb" appears here is a mystery, since Horeb is usually associated with Mt.

Rephidim wherever it was was the last stop before Mt. Sinai Exodus ; Numbers ; see Exodus Perhaps the general area was referred to as Horeb, not just the mountain. We just don't know. However, Israel's leaders don't always listen, as in the period after Pharaoh had rebuffed Moses' initial requests. At the bad report of the 10 spies, the elders don't rally to support Moses and the Lord.

As a result the people spend 38 more years in the desert. Childs, Exodus , pp. However as it is read, it is a difficult verse to understand completely. Marvin R. This usually happened on a high or conspicuous place within the camp or community. There, a signal pole, sometimes with an ensign attached, could be raised as a point of focus or object of hope A single copy of this article is free.

Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information. To be notified about future articles, stories, and Bible studies, why don't you subscribe to our free newsletter, The Joyful Heart , by placing your e-mail address in the box below.

We respect your privacy and never sell, rent, or loan our lists. Do you ever grumble about anything that Jesus or God says in the Bible, such as in Lk.

If so, why? Do you generally let offenses committed against you by other Christians pass by, or do you complain when a Christian offends you, and why?

Will you? Has God ever judged you because of your self-centeredness in complaining against another Christian? If so, how? Was the landowner wrong in what he did Matt.

Do you ever grumble because other people get the same recognition, reward, or compliments as you, even though you worked longer or harder than they did, and why?

What are we told not to do, that some of the Old Testament people did? If so, what, and why? Do you ever grumble at the spiritual leadership God puts over you when that leadership is following God, yet the situation the leadership brings you into is not what you like? When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness. If so, feel free to share them below. What Constitutes a Complaint?

They are — G et attention — people have an innate need to be acknowledged and will complain to be noticed e. Do you recognise any of these reasons why people complain? Leave A Response Cancel reply. Thank you! You have successfully joined our newsletter list.