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Grassroots Leadership

EasterElections, Civic Participation and Democratic Responsibility Week 25 · Day 1

Scripture References

Read First

Old Testament

Exodus 18:13-27

¹³ On the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.
¹⁴ When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”
¹⁵ Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to enquire of God.

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¹⁶ When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.”
¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.
¹⁸ You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.
¹⁹ Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.
²⁰ You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
²¹ Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
²² Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.
²³ If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”
²⁴ So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
²⁵ Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
²⁶ They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
²⁷ Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

New Testament

Acts 6:3-4

³ Therefore, select from amongst you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
⁴ But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

Thought for the Day

Exodus shows Moses with a queue that will not end: one weary man, one tired people, morning until evening. Jethro does not flatter the hero. He names what love can see: this is not good, neither for Moses nor for those who wait. Leadership becomes a kind of bottleneck, and the whole camp pays for it.

Lord, save us from the lonely saviour instinct. Make us ready to serve, ready to share, and ready to trust others with real responsibility.

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So he urges delegation: teach the way of God, then share the load. Not everything needs the same pair of hands. Some matters require wisdom close to home, a steady ear, a known face. In Acts, the church does something similar. They seek out seven who are full of the Spirit and of wisdom, so that prayer and the ministry of the word are not squeezed out by urgent need.

Grassroots leadership is rarely glamorous. It is the patient work of making room: for a fair hearing, for a small decision done well, for a neighbour not to be lost in the crowd. Christ does not call his people to admire responsibility from a distance, but to carry it together.

Prayer Points

Respond

Give strength and rest to those who carry too much responsibility, and show them where to share the load.
Raise up wise, trustworthy local leaders in churches and communities: people with steady hearts and clean hands.
Guard us from impatience with slow processes, and teach us to honour neighbours who must wait for decisions.

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Give your Church the humility to delegate, the courage to step forward, and the grace to be accountable.
Let our common life be shaped by service rather than self-importance.

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