Sharing Our Work
Read Mark 3:7-19
“Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.” –Mark 3:9-10
In the third chapter of Mark, Jesus appoints “The Twelve” who will serve as his disciples. For us to properly understand what Jesus is doing in this story, though, we need to backtrack to an Old Testament story from the book of Exodus.
After Moses led the people out of Egypt, there was no discernible leadership structure. There was Moses, and everyone brought their problems to him. The book of Exodus tells us that Moses was kept busy “from morning to night” hearing and settling all their disputes. One day, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to visit. When he saw what Moses was doing, he confronted him: “What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone, with people standing here from morning till night to consult you?” (Ex 18:14)
Moses complained: This is what I have to do. The people have no one else to hear and settle their disputes. Moses was admirably trying to hold together a people who were quick to complain and quarrel with one another. But Jethro offered him some sage advice: “You are not doing this right. You will wear yourself out and these people as well. This is too much for you to do alone.” (Ex 18:17-18) It is good for you to teach the people about God’s ways, Jethro counseled. But you need help.
As long as you are stuck listening to complaints all day, you can’t lead the people where they need to go. So, following his father-in-law’s advice, Moses divided the people into groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and then set over each group leaders of good character (who could not be bribed) to settle their disputes. Difficult cases could be passed up the chain, leaving Moses to handle only the most contentious claims.
Moses could better listen to God, and the people of God could move forward together, because he wisely delegated leadership to others.
A similar pattern was playing out in Jesus’ ministry. As his fame grew, crowds sought him out wherever he went. The crowds pressed so hard upon him that he instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so that he could escape their touch. Something had to give. So following Moses’ example, Jesus appointed twelve disciples to serve with him, and he delegated to them the authority and power to heal and cast out demons. By empowering others, Jesus was able to keep his focus on the mission for which God had sent him.
Many of us know the kind of demands that Moses and Jesus faced (or at least a smaller version of them). We know what it is to work from “morning to night” responding to the unceasing demands of others. We tell ourselves that our sacrifice is necessary, that we are the ones holding everything together. But this is not how God calls us to live, stuck in the demands of others. We are invited to identify others around us who can share the load, and to delegate to them the authority and responsibility necessary to carry out the work. Yes, there is a chance that they will not do the work as well as you do. The disciples made plenty of mistakes along the way! But even if the people you empower do the work imperfectly, there is a net gain. Not only do they learn and grow along the way, but you are freer to focus on your core purpose and contribution.
So here’s your two-fold assignment for today:
Examine the work that you are doing. What tasks or responsibilities can you hand off to others?
Examine the team with which you work. Which individuals are eager to grow their capacity and contribute more?
Put those two things together, and you’re discovering the freedom of sharing your work with others!
You have created us with limits, O God. When Your Son walked among us on this earth, He experienced those limits as well. But You have also created us to live in community and partnership with others. Help us to recognize the work we can share, to expand our limits, and serve You more faithfully in our lives. Amen.