“The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” Proverbs 27:9

The Bible places great importance on seeking and following wise counsel. God often uses others to direct our paths, and He encourages us to seek wisdom in our decisions. Wisdom from others, especially from those grounded in faith, helps us make better choices and align our actions with God’s plan.

There was a moment, for such a time in my former life, when I accepted the call of God to leave my public school teaching career for another work that I knew would be beyond my abilities, wisdom, and capabilities.  But by faith I knew in my heart that if God was leading; God would provide all He knew I would need.  If not for God’s intervention in those who also saw His call upon me; I could not have accepted the work before me.  In the beginning the work did not have a specific “job description” as the work was forming around who I was as one passionate to “go and make disciples, teaching them to follow Jesus” as a national leader.  I had been a volunteer locally, on a state level, and national level while employed as a school teacher.  I stepped into a role, led by God, but needed wise advice as the work began to overwhelm me.  And God provided.

I was sitting alone one day, thinking about all the tasks added by others to the work God called me to be and do. The work had been accomplished by more than one person; but now their responsibilities, through “downsizing” had been put on my plate.  So there I sat on the couch in the lobby with tears in my eyes asking God for help. I was so engrossed in my prayerful overthinking that I didn’t hear others pass by.  Suddenly I felt someone quietly sit beside me, put his arm on my shoulder, and said, “The work given to you by others is too much for you.  It is not your fault for this dumping; but it is an opportunity given to you to see what God will do in and through you.”   This wise man of God gave me more than enough from God’s heart to my soul to encourage me in my new leadership role.  God will do what He has called us to do and will equip us along the way.  But God will also give us wise counsel by others who have walked the road you are beginning to walk. 

“You cannot do this work alone.”  This is the most simple but profound advice ever given and God’s Called must listen and heed this counsel. For me, I had been taught a transformational, teambuilding style of leadership at my university while obtaining a masters on this very topic; but now God, through the counsel of my mentor was reminding me to use what I was taught and watch God expand the knowledge!  Learn it, Teach it, live it, and apply it was my new goal given by God!  I listened and I heard!  I wiped away the tears and got to work!

Almost immediately, God would send me all kinds of people as I began form teams to accomplish what He called me to do.  God was, is, and always will be amazing!  As I look back on that 13-year experience; I learned that breaking the work into “bite size” pieces, forming teams of godly, passionate people ready and willing with their God-given gifts to accomplish each “bite”, would be vital in part and be equal to the overall mission of “going out and teaching disciples of Jesus”.  Because…Isn’t that what Jesus did first after going to God for counsel—Form a team?  Why, yes, He did!  Who are we not to do what Jesus taught us to do?  We cannot do God’s work alone.

Exodus 18

Jethro Visits Moses

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; ⁴ and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.

⁹ Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” ¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

¹⁵ Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. ¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 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. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶ They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

²⁷ Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 19:20

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” Ecclesiastes  4:9-10

What if we continue to do God’s work alone?  What are the dangers?

• We become boastful and full of pride which changes our heart’s motivation for doing GOD’S work from a heart for God to a “ME” heart.  What we do becomes “MEnistry” of serving ourselves instead of the God-driven ministry to serve others while pleasing God.
• We do or manage all the tasks for the praise of others.  The praise of others becomes our food for survival which will become a slow poison for our souls.
• We stop taking the advice of wise counsel and lean only on our own understanding and perceptions.
• We become depressed, tired, and irritable.  It takes a lot of energy to be in constant control.
• We begin to believe that no one else will do it, so we do it.  Recruiting and training others seems too much work so we cease doing it which results less teambuilding which becomes a downward spiral to more depression.
• We “can’t even” when so many miss the mark or fail to know the goal of the mission.  Whose fault is that?
• We overthink, refusing to let go of tasks others can do, feeling we are the “only one” who knows how to do it.  And…whose fault is that?
• We begin to criticize faithful teams who are doing the task but not in the way we think it should be done.  Gossip creeps in to destroy morale.
• We become arrogant, offensive, and a leader others run from!  And whose fault is that?
• We blame others because of our lack of loving, teaching, and encouraging.

“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children, says the Lord. ‘You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins.’” Isaiah 30:1

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” Psalm 1:1

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” Proverbs 13:20

“Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.” Proverbs 4:14-15

SEEK COUNSEL WHEN MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS—GOD WILL HELP US!

When we face significant life decisions, seeking wise counsel is crucial. God knows that and has already prepared just the right person at the right time for us.  The Bible encourages us to ask for advice from trusted sources, ensuring that our choices are aligned with God’s will and purpose for us. Decisions made with wise counsel can bring peace and clarity.

• “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.” Proverbs 15:22
• “Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.” Proverbs 20:18  (God will teach us to “choose our battles”.)
• “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”—Jesus, Luke 14:28

All this to say:  We cannot do this alone.  That’s not what God intended for us.  God is not a taskmaster—He is a load lifter!  Jesus, God’s Son, who knows taught us:

^“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”—Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

Lord,

Thank you for this lesson for your called out leaders.  You call, You send, You equip during the entire process of “going and telling, teaching and baptizing” in Your Name for Your glory!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen