Wise Guys (3)
“you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.” Exodus 18:21
Truth – Did Jethro tell Moses to find men who wouldn’t lie? Is that what he means when he says, “men of truth”? If you read this passage with Greek glasses, that’s what you would think. In our world, truth is the opposite of lie. A man of truth is a man who speaks true statements. But that isn’t the meaning of ‘emet, the Hebrew word for “truth.” Hebrew is a language of physical imagery and action, not mental thoughts and propositions. So, when Jethro uses ‘emet, he paints the picture of a father holding a helpless infant in his arms. Men of truth are men who are constantly reliable in the exercise of their duty and compassion. You can count on them. They have proven themselves trustworthy. You can put yourself under their care and know that they will do all they can to protect you.
Of course, men of truth don’t tell lies. But that is not the focus of this word. Not lying is merely a by-product of continuous reliability. What is central to the idea of truth in Hebrew is trustworthiness. God is always reliable. He can be trusted to always be exactly what He says He will be. That’s the living, personal character of truth. Once again we see that in Hebrew it’s not just what I say, it’s what I do!
Jethro tells us that our leaders, the ones in authority, must be people who demonstrate exemplary commitment to faithfulness and reliability. They must have personal consistency. We know that we can put our lives in their hands because they do not vacillate or waver.
Notice how this third characteristic of biblical leadership builds upon the first two. Leaders place all of their resources in God’s hands, never looking for credit for themselves. Leaders actively pursue their duty toward God, demonstrating righteous behavior. And now we see that this leads directly to reliability and trustworthiness. I can count on this kind of leader because I know that his resources are under God’s command and his behavior is in line with God’s law. If you want to see the perfect combination of all these ancient characteristics, just look at Jesus – a man who said that He did nothing in His own power and who was entirely dedicated to fulfill the Father’s will. No wonder He could say, “I am the truth.” He is totally consistent and eternally reliable. You can put your life in his arms and absolutely know that He will not fail you.
The Hebrew view of leadership is entirely bound up with character. Character always trumps results. Always! Remember that when you start looking for the next one to follow. Don’t be seduced by the accomplishments. Look with God’s eyes – into the heart. Do you see humility? Do you find dedication to righteousness? Do you discover reliability? Would you put your infant child in this person’s arms and walk away, completely confident that no harm would ever come to that little baby?
Topical Index: Leadership
