In-Laws

    Family is a beautifully structured living system, but it is complicated.  When a couple get married they are supposed to let go some of the influence that the family has over them to fully embrace the family that they are forging.  The first couple of years is when a couple builds their foundation.  It becomes complicated when in-laws use their influence over opinions and thoughts into that new new life.

    Jethro was Moses' father-in-law.  I think Moses really valued him like his real father considering how he grew up without a true father figure.  He was probably hungry for that kind of relationship.  It would explain why they were so close.  Moses valued that relationship and I think Jethro loved Moses like his own son too.

    Jethro brought Moses' family to him when he heard all Moses had accomplished.  Jethro observed the leader that Moses had become.  Moses had become the Israelite judge.  It was an honor, but to be over 6,000 complaining individual also made it a full-time exhausting job.  

    Jethro was confused on why Moses was killing himself for these people when there were other options available.  He went to Moses and told him it was not good that he was working himself to death.  Moses felt responsible to take every issue to God for the people, but he was not God.  He could not bare the weight of the world.

    Moses needed to focus on his relationship with God and teach the people God's laws and decrees, but allow other responsible and honorable people help him.  Jethro used his influence over Moses to convince him to find balance in his life for work, family, and prayer.  There should be one leader over a certain number of people.  Moses should only be involved in the really major issues. 

    When Jethro was done helping Moses he went home.  This is a good example of an in-law relationship.  Unfortunately the majority of in-law relationships is where they have a hard time letting go oftheir child and embrace the spouse as their own.  Somewhere over time, people have lost the importance of marriage.  We need to be careful on when and how we use our influence over people or we can cause more harm than good.

Exodus 18