Spreading Yourself Thin?

In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo Baggins, the 111-year-old hobbit, says, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” We all feel overwhelmed from time to time. Even without the mysterious workings of the One Ring in our waistcoat pocket, we can feel the burden of being overloaded—that something must change. When we attempt to engage in so many activities that we can't perform any of them well, we have spread ourselves too thin. Sometimes it can be necessary, even beneficial, to say “No” to a good thing.

This may remind us of an interaction between Moses and his father-in-law (Exo. 18:13-27). After observing how Moses dealt with every matter brought to him by the Hebrew people, Jethro remarked, “The thing that you do is not good” (Exo. 18:17). Both Moses and the people were in real danger of wearing themselves out. Moses was not able to perform all that work by himself, he was spreading himself too thin.

Jethro wisely advised his son-in-law to receive help from trustworthy people around him. To assist in providing judgment for the people, Moses would select men of truth, who fear God and hate covetousness (Exo. 18:21). These would be trained, taking instruction from Moses concerning the statutes and the laws of God in which they must walk (Exo. 18:20). The result of sharing the load in this way was that Moses and the people would be able to endure and be at peace (Exo. 18:23). With Moses judging the hard cases and the chosen men judging every small case, everyone benefitted.

Do you ever feel like too much is on your plate? Between responsibilities at work, at home, with family, with friends, in the church, and in the community, your calendar can fill all its days without trying very hard! It’s often a struggle to do all that we need to do, let alone all that we want to do. And what’s worse, as our lives become more chaotic and busier with physical things, spiritual needs often go unaddressed. As we prioritize and sift through a mountain of obligations, let’s make sure that we apply wisdom.

It was good for Moses to judge the matters the Hebrews brought before him. However, by saying “No” to judging everything himself, Moses came upon something much better. Consider how Jethro’s plan not only offered Moses some much-needed respite, but it also engaged many others in the good work that was happening. Are there places in your life where someone could be activated to share the load? Sometimes this requires careful training, and it certainly requires humility on our part to relinquish control—but look at the benefits! With judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens the Hebrew people had a strength which would not exist otherwise. I’m reminded of another quote, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with friends.”

At a time where it seems “burnout” is all too common, why not heed sound Biblical advice? Use the resource God has lovingly provided to you—men and women who love you, and respect God and His truth. We have been brought together to aid one another. There is no need to spread yourself too thin.