Moses and Work Life Balance
Moses and Work Life Balance
Introduction
Current series on Faith @ Work – and today looking at work life balance. Immediate thoughts turn to Exodus 18 and this story of Jethro’s advise to Moses.
1) Moses and Jethro: [Exodus 18]
a) Jethro’s perspective on Moses situation
i) Takes on outside perspective to help
b) The problem
i) Moses was trying to do it all on his own
ii) Firstly “you are going to wear the people out”
iii) Secondly “you are going to wear yourself out”
iv) Thirdly, “the elders and other leaders are going to be deprived of their talents”
v) The solution for Moses was delegation
Now I have heard many people preach on this text with respect to leadership and management. “ A biblical mandate for effective management. Our situation is rather like Moses – we need to learn to delegate…”
c) I would suspect that our situation is significantly different to Moses
I would hazard a guess that there are a significant number of us that could learn from basic skills of time and people management that would help balance our lives out better – if you want a good introduction to such things you could not go too far wrong by purchasing any of the books on my crib sheet. [Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People; Life Matters by Roger and Rebecca Merrill] You could even learn the art of delegation that Jethro advised Moses to master.
However, Moses had something that I suspect that most of us sitting in this church building today struggle with. He had a vibrant spiritual life that was centred on God.
Moses spiritual life was integrated and engaging
i) His walk with God was born out of a deep clear experience of God
ii) He had a strong sense of following God’s call
iii) His experience of God was ongoing and dynamic
iv) His relationship and peace with God and himself was secure enough for him to freely and openly talk about God to others [Ex 18:8-11]
v) His relationship and peace with God and himself was secure enough for him to accept advice from others – even those less mature in their faith than him. [Ex 18:17-24]
d) How might we compare this with ourselves?
i) Do we freely and naturally talk of God with our colleagues, neighbours, and our family? I am not talking about church people.
ii) Are we at ease with ourselves enough that we do not resent others, or our pride is not hurt when they give us criticism?
iii) When Moses came out of a meeting with God – it was noticeable [his face glowed] how noticeable is it with us?
One time a friend of mine started visiting church and observed two different kinds of people. There were happy faces and crabby faces. Ian Seymour. His conclusions were interesting!
iv) It says in the scripture that “those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” – how real is that promise in your own daily life?
v) Matthew 6: 33 reminds us not to worry but to trust – how real is that for us?
It seems that there is a discrepancy between what is promised in scripture and what is real in our daily lives. Does this mean scripture is wrong? Or does it mean our engagement with God is out of sync?
What I am venturing to say is this….
The imbalance in Moses life was a work skills one – but he had other things right. Today’s society focus’s almost entirely on developing work and life skills – but the imbalance is a spiritual one!
2) The value of a spiritual life in work
The main thing to consider is that if that deep seated part of our lives called the heart is at peace and is centred – then everything else will have a much greater sense of balance. This is where true work life balance needs to be rooted.
John 7:38 (NIV)
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
Psalm 16:7-9 synchronisation between heart / mind / feelings / body at peace
Dallas Willard – in a book which I am going to tell you more about later writes….
“The greatest need you and I have, the greatest need of humanity in general, is renovation of the heart. That spiritual place within us from which outlook, choices and actions come has been formed by a world denying God. It must be transformed. Indeed, the only hope for humanity lies in the fact that, just as our spirit has been formed, so also it can be transformed.” Renovation of the heart page 3
Sinkhole syndrome / shrivelled soul / “What shall it profit a man….”
a) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom [Psalm 111]
True wisdom comes from a mind that holds God with a deep sense of reverence and awe. He is at the centre of all things and to cut him out throws all things off.
Colossians 1:16-17 (NIV)
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
That is as true in the work place as anywhere else.
Our minds need to have and maintain a deep reverence and appreciation for God in all things. If this is true for our minds – it is also true for our hearts.
b) The root of human evil is that there is no fear of God in people’s hearts.
Romans 3:10-18 (NLT)
10 As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16 Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”
18 “They have no fear of God at all.”
Mark 7: Out of the heart of man comes….”
Not only is the fear of the Lord essential in terms of decisions and understanding
But it is also crucial in terms of behaviour.
Let me emphasis this again:
*The main reason why people do not make right decisions in life is that there is no fear of God in their mind.
*The main reason why people are deceitful, dishonest, maligning, manipulative, negative etc is that there is no fear of God in their heart.
c) Let’s take relationships for a moment. The biggest cause of marriage breakdown, according to Jesus, is not overwork, or temptation, or incompatibility… but a shrivelled heart!
Matthew 19:8 (NIV)
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.
When it comes to nurturing a new born baby inside you – any expectant Mum will tell you that great care needs to be taken to bring this new life into the world. No alcohol, smoking, drugs etc – these could damage and stunt the baby’s growth. Everyone takes great care as to what nutrients the baby gets etc.
It should be the same when it comes to our soul/heart as it takes full form inside us. It is the one part of us that we will carry into eternity. Yet we throw everything at it. Abuse it with what we watch, stifle its conscience, neglect the nutrients it needs of goodness, faith, love, truth etc. We do so at great risk.
Our soul is in great risk of being still born.
A rather interesting illustration of this image of the shrivelled soul can be found in the last book in the Harry Potter series at Kings Cross Station. Harry has died or rather is in the in-between moment before Dumbledore sends him back into the world. It is here that he catches a glimpse of Voldemort – as a shrivelled baby – but still with potential. His soul could even at that late stage – be redeemed. But Voldemort has chose darkness and it will be his end.
How goes it with your soul?
3) What does it mean – or what do we need to do… to tend to the heart - “to wait upon the Lord”?
a) For my heart to be truly centred requires time – the heart needs investment
b) You must allow God access to your heart – this requires honesty about what’s in there [resentment, unforgiveness, sinful habits and attitudes, pride, denial about the way you really are]
Jeremiah 17:9 (GNT)
9 “Who can understand the human heart?
There is nothing else so deceitful;
it is too sick to be healed.
c) You must see that your only hope rests in God’s transforming power in the Gospel
It is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses me from all my sin.
The blood of Christ cleanses deeper than anything the world can ever produce. God’s solution is the only lasting solution that will make a difference to your heart.
d) You must bring to Him all things- your anxieties at work, your decisions, your mistakes, your relationships, and your trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Here is the source of a true work life balance – it will work if we trust in the Lord with all our heart…
In 2007 I focussed very much on the renewal of the mind. Romans 12:1
In 2008 – we need to give serious attention to the Renovation of the heart.
If this seems to ring true in your own experience then I would like to recommend a book by that title. I was going to save it for recommended Lent reading – but it has 11 chapters and if you read a chapter a week from January 1st – it would take you to Easter.
It could be something that you asked for in your Christmas stocking. I am convinced it will be the one present that will make more difference to your life than any other – barring your first Bible. Let’s Pray.