S T U D Y O N E

Urgent DemandsExodus 18:13-24

Many years ago an experienced cotton mill manager commented

on my responsibilities as executive director of InterVarsity Christian

Fellowship. He warned, “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent

tasks crowd out those that are important.” He didn’t realize how

hard his words hit. They often returned to haunt and rebuke me by

raising the critical problem of priorities.

We live in constant tension between the urgent and the impor-

tant. The problem is that some important tasks do not need to be

done today, or even this week. Extra Bible study, a visit with a needy

friend, prayerful evaluation: those activities usually can wait. But ur-

gent tasks call for immediate action. Their seemingly irresistible de-

mands devour our time and energy. Yet in the light of time’s

perspective, their long-range or seeming importance fades. We real-

ize that we’ve become slaves to a tyranny of the urgent.

This problem is not new. It plagued the statesman Moses as he led

his people through the wilderness toward the Promised Land of

Canaan. This study shows how the urgent demands of governing

sapped his strength to the detriment of his spiritual leadership. You

will see how relief came from an unexpected source.

Urgent Demands

CBBSpriorities.fm Page 13 Monday, November 18, 2002 11:21 AM

14 P R I O R I T I E S

OPEN

� List some urgent demands on your time—requests by others for

your help that require immediate action.

__Will you teach my Sunday-school class this Sunday?

__Please play your guitar for my youth group tomorrow night.

__How about driving home with me this weekend to help pick up

some furniture?

__Other_____________________________________________

� Which of these tasks do you think may prove to be really impor-

tant a month from now? a year from now? Why?

STUDY

Read Exodus 18:13-24.13Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they

stood around him from morning till evening. 14When his fa-

ther-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said,

“What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as

judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till

evening?”15Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek

God’s will. 16Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and

I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and

laws.”17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.

18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves

CBBSpriorities.fm Page 14 Monday, November 18, 2002 11:21 AM

U r g e n t D e m a n d s 15

out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be

with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and

bring their disputes to him. 20Teach them the decrees and laws, and

show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21But

select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trust-

worthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials

over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Have them serve as

judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult

case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will

make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23If you

do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain,

and all these people will go home satisfied.”24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

1. As you read through the passage, what impresses you about

Moses and his relationship to the people?

2. Imagine the disputes that arise among the thousands of families

uprooted from their homes and traveling through the desert.

How does Moses respond to their urgent problems (vv. 13,

15-16)?

CBBSpriorities.fm Page 15 Monday, November 18, 2002 11:21 AM

16 P R I O R I T I E S

3. Describe Jethro’s evaluation of this situation (vv. 14, 17-20).

What high-priority role does Jethro suggest for Moses?

4. How will his solution to the problem benefit both Moses and the

people (vv. 21-23)?

5. What kinds of people are to be chosen (v. 21)?

6. How do you think the people reacted to this new procedure?

CBBSpriorities.fm Page 16 Monday, November 18, 2002 11:21 AM

U r g e n t D e m a n d s 17

7. What impresses you about Moses’ reaction to his father-in-law’s

recommendation (v. 24)?

COMMIT

� To what extent are you open to criticism and suggestions for mak-

ing better use of your time? Rank yourself on the continuum below.

VERY OPEN SOMEWHAT OPEN IT VARIES SOMEWHAT CLOSED CLOSED

Why do you think this is?

� Identify one current task that is not really important and can be

phased out in the coming weeks.

� Take time to ask God for wisdom in terminating this activity. If

others will be affected, pray for sensitivity in the time and way this

is done.

Pray that God will help you sort out your priorities so that you can bet-ter evaluate the importance of new demands on your time.

For further reading: Chapters one and four of Freedom from Tyranny

of the Urgent.

CBBSpriorities.fm Page 17 Monday, November 18, 2002 11:21 AM