The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1957-07-12

There is story in the Old Test
ament Of very old man who gave
advice to another man who was
younger than he, but still an old
man too. The younger man had
e n tremendously successful,
much more SO than his father-ln-
law had ever been. Yet it was the
father-in-law who gave the advice.
His name was Jethro and he lived
about as far of all the beaten
tracks as man could 60. When
the young Moses had fed from a
murder charge. naturally he had
gone as far from civilization he
could; and there he came across
Jethro. priest and stock-raiSer.
Moses had married one of his
daughters, a somewhat stupid girl.
no match for the brilliant Moses.
Now. fortyodd years later, with
all the glory Of the great escape
from Egypt fresh upon him, Moses
had brought his grumbling people
tmost ungrateful for their free
I domD out to this same remote
region to get organized for their
march to Canaan All day long old
Jethro watched his son-in-law. sit
( ting in the midst OF a swarnaing
crowd. all talking at once, no
1 doubt. asking questions, demand
ing at EN- 4 o n, complaining Of
grievances. accusing their neigh
bors. wanting Moses TO settle all
their quarrcls. Ii was too much
for any man, even Moses. Old
Jethro gave him simple piece Of
advice: Set UP graded system
of judges Don't try all the cases
yourself. only the hard ones. So
Moses took the advice and il
worked SO well that, forty years or
so later. Moses seems to have be
Ilieved that he himself had thought
OF the bright idea first
Character
Why did Moses take the advice
of Jethro SO quickly? OF course
the main reason. no doubt, was
that having lived with Jethro for
nearly forty years, Moses had
listened to the old man before and
knew he did not talk nonsense. But
what was it that made Jethro
worth listening to? To put ii into
terms OF our own problems: What
do need, to get my own advice
taken by other people, How can
i learn to give advice that people
viii follow and like? The first thing
needed. in order to give advice
wisely. is character. Jethro was a
man Of God. Possibly his idea Of
God was not up to the Christian
standard. perhaps not even UP TO
that of Moses. But the God he
tnew, he reyered and served Then
he was not only religious. he was
practical. He knew what would
work and what would not A man
OF deep faith and conviction. who
lis also solidly practical is the best
kind OF counselor, and people
know it.
Acquaintance
Another thing: Jethro and Moses
had lived side BY side for forty
years. Jethro knew Moses like a
book, he knew his ability and his
Limitations. ADJ is not best
given by total strangers. Some
times people in trouble will appeal
TO complete strangers for advice.
but that is only because they don't
like to tell some local man Cor
woman the whole truth. In giving
advice, the counselor needs to
know as much as possible about
the whole background OF the per-
son he is advising.
Concern
More than acquaintance is need
ed, to be a welcomed adviser The
aged Jethro could see that Moses
was wearing down. under the inn
possible burdens he was trying to
carry II Jethro had not cared. he
would hardly have offered advice.
But he did care; and Moses knew
it, Advice is not best when served
cold A good counselor advises
from the heart not less than from
the head With the head. one can
analyze situation; but only with
the heart can the adviser put him
self IN the place Of the one he
helps.
BASED 81 outlines cepvrirhted ~ the
rivisten 81 Ch-is.iar EAceasiar Ma
ti.-sl Camel. o. the Churches 81 Christ
Il. he =. s. A. Released ;, Cer~ rrity
rr.ss Service