Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. – Exodus 18:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 6, 2012): Exodus 18

A friend of mine recently commented that he liked chess because no two games ever seemed to come out the same. There are an almost an unlimited number of problems to be solved, and an equal number of possible solutions to the problems presented. The frustration is that with every move, with every possible solution you open yourself up to other problems. And that is really the game of chess. It is feint and attack, defend while searching for an opening to go on the offensive, all the time knowing that every move can take you closer to disaster.

   

There have been some seasons of my life when I have heard a lot of complaints. We are well taught by our culture. But what I hear less frequently are real solutions to problems – and a maturity to recognize that every solution comes with its own limitations. It is as if we think that coming up with the complaint is where our job ends – that it is up to someone else to find the perfect solution (a solution that rarely even exists.) And, just like in chess, there seems to be an unwillingness to realize that there are both positives and negatives that accompany every solution.

Jethro, Moses father-in-law, saw a problem and registered his complaint – what you are doing is not good. It was a proper evaluation of what it was that he saw. But he was not willing to just leave it there. He had an answer. And like all real life answers, there were both positive and negative aspects to the solution. On the positive, the load that Moses had taken on his shoulders could be balanced among more leaders, and in turn more leaders would be developed. But the negative was that there would also be more distance produced between Moses as the visible leader of the nation and the people.

But Moses also knew the truth of Jethro’s judgment. The most important part of the equation was that he could not maintain the path he was on for long – and while neither Jethro nor Moses realized how long the path would be, a change was needed.

Often that is where we find ourselves when threatened with a problem. We know we have to move and change, but maybe it is our immaturity that keeps us looking for the perfect solution. And that solution often does not exist. Every answer has a downside, but that is okay, because today’s answer to any problem is only the first step of the journey anyway.

The secret to our success will always be a series of solutions to the problems that are set in front of us. Now if I can just remember that secret for my chess games.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 19