Articles
Father Figures
A father or a father figure’s positive impact on those around him is as timeless as it is priceless. Jethro, although he wore “many hats” so to speak, had an influence that far outlived his time on earth. We do not know as much about him as we do other men like Father Abraham. But, what we do know is that he took responsibility for his family all the same. As many other capable fathers do, he cared for those who were outside the scope of being blood relatives. In particular, he cared for his son-in-law, Moses.
Jethro’s care for Moses starts from the very beginning of their relationship. In Exodus 3, after Moses had saved Jethro’s daughters from the shepherds, he invites Moses (a complete stranger) to join him and his family so that they could share a meal together. From then on, Jethro not only becomes Moses’s father by marriage, but he also becomes a source of spiritual nourishment for him in several ways. When it came time for Moses to fulfill his obligations to God, Jethro support him (4:18). When Moses and Israel were wandering in the wilderness, Jethro brought Moses’s family to him, asked about his welfare, encouraged him with blessings, and offered a sacrifice to God on their behalf (18:12).
Without a doubt, Moses had a challenging time throughout the last eighty years of his life. His leadership role took on far more responsibility than what was found in his immediate family. How much more challenging would it have been had he not had the spiritual support of his father-in-law? As Christian men, we need to seek out opportunities to be this kind of person in the lives of others. There are men who do not have a father or a father-in-law to hold in high spiritual regard. It is an influence that survives the ages. Even though Moses was a father himself, he still needed Jethro’s support.
