I like Moses’ complaint that begins verse 9 of Deuteronomy chapter 1. He says, “I’m not able to bear you by myself.” You can almost feel Moses’ frustration when he presents his frustration again in the form of a question in verse 12, “how can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?” It’s just too big of a job. He then proceeds to select leaders from each tribe to help bear the leadership responsibility.
Someone once said, “I’d rather put a thousand men to work than to do the work of a thousand men.” Moses would agree completely with that. Verse 13 tells us what kind of people we should look for to share responsibility. It says “they should be wise, understanding and knowledgeable.”
First of all they should be wise. Proverbs tells us what it means to be wise. “Pride only brings quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (Proverb 13:10). Next, they should be understanding and knowledgeable. Another verse in Proverbs tells us what that’s like and it’s our signature verse for this week. It says, “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint and a man of understanding is even tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” I’d like to be wise, knowledgeable and understanding today.