Links for today’s readings:
Read: Exodus 18 Listen: (3:54) Read: Luke 1.1-38 Listen: (9:26)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Read: Exodus 19 Listen: (4:04) Read: Luke 1.39-80 Listen: (9:26)
Read: Exodus 20 Listen: (3:21) Read: Luke 2 Listen: (6:11)
Scripture Focus: Exodus 18.24-26
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.
Reflection: What You Are Doing Is Not Good
By John Tillman
Moses cared about justice. He had a system, but it was failing.
Moses, as hard as he was working, didn’t see what was wrong. His brother and spokesman, Aaron, didn’t see it. Miriam, the nation’s prophetess, didn’t see it. Or, if they did see, they gave no advice that was recorded in scripture.
Even the people did not seem to see the problem—and these people complained about everything!
The people complained loudly about a lack of safety when Pharaoh was attacking, a lack of food when resources were scarce, and a lack of water in the dryness of the desert. But when justice was slow, scripture does not record their complaints.
It took an outsider to see the problem. The system was bad.
An “outsider” came in and criticized Moses’ system of justice! Jethro saw that the wait for justice was too long and the work of justice needed more laborers in its field. (Matthew 9.38; Luke 10.2) Moses was wearing out serving and the people were wearing out waiting. “What you are doing is not good!”
Imagine what Moses might have said had he taken Jethro’s systemic critique as a personal attack: “How dare you question my commitment to justice? Don’t you see how hard I’m working? Are you calling me corrupt?”
One of the marks of good judgment is the ability to fairly evaluate arguments that critique yourself or a system you are part of or have made. Moses was a good judge. He took Jethro’s critique to heart, implementing the exact changes recommended.
We have a tendency to reject critiques from “outsiders” and to take systemic critiques as personal attacks. When an outsider critiques your group, your community, your party, or your church, are you able to listen to them? When people critique you, a system you have made, or one that you trust, do you take it personally? Has anyone ever told you, “What you are doing is not good”? Did you get defensive? Emotional? Intimidated? Insulted? You must deal with these emotions before you can fairly evaluate the critique.
Outsiders and critics are not always right. But it is always wrong to dismiss cries for justice, even when they come from outsiders.
Jethro saw what the insiders were blind to. He saw injustice hidden in normality. Can you listen to an “outsider” and evaluate what you may be blinded to? Can you detect injustice within what is “normal?”
Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
Turn from evil, and do good, and dwell in the land forever.
For the Lord loves justice; he does not forsake his faithful ones.
They shall be kept safe forever, but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.
The righteous shall possess the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and their tongue speaks what is right.
The law of their God is in their heart, and their footsteps shall not falter. — Psalm 37.28-33
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.
Read more: Justice Starts Within
Justice starts within. It doesn’t stop there.
Read more: Maintain Love and Justice
It is not just modern people who notice one justice system for the poor and another for the rich. Hosea condemned it. Ephraim abused it.
