What does a lone wolf look like?
- It’s the person who never asks for help, the one who thinks, plans, and executes every idea alone.
- It’s the career woman or man who could afford to hire a driver, maid, or caregiver but insists on doing everything themselves.
- It’s the successful shop owner who avoids hiring a sales rep because they can’t trust anyone else with their money.
- It’s the bookworm or nerdy student who doesn’t engage in group study because they are convinced others will only slow them down.
- It’s the mother who won’t let her husband help with the kids or anything else because he doesn’t do things her way—and who distrusts the maid enough to take on every chore herself.
- It’s the parent who constantly steps in to do everything for their children, forgetting that independence and responsibility are cultivated through practice.
- It’s the husband who thinks his wife is not just smart enough to give him ideas and strategies that could grow his business.
- It’s the pastor who hesitates to give others the chance to express their gifts, because he is not sure if they are “spiritually there” yet, forgetting that people are works in progress and that, as they are nourished by the sincere word of God, they grow in faith and maturity.
If you recognise yourself in any of these descriptions or find that they resonate with you, you may be moving through life like a lone wolf.
One thing I have discovered is that when we avoid delegating or involving others, our minds become cluttered, too overwhelmed to generate fresh ideas. Instead of expanding or diversifying, we remain stuck in one place, carrying a weight we were never meant to bear alone.
The lone-wolf path may give you the illusion that you are in control, but it often leads to isolation, exhaustion, and missed opportunities for growth, both for ourselves and those around us.
By now, you’ve probably noticed that I like to draw examples from the Bible. This is because they help to drive home the point: knowing that the people we celebrate in Scripture walked similar paths to ours and triumphed often fills us with faith and hope.
Don’t go through life as if you’re alone or as if the challenges you face have never been faced before.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
In the same vein, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Romans 15:4 adds, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Examples of Leaders and Mothers in the Bible who Embraced Delegation, Enabling them to be more Effective in Ministry and their Homes.
Their willingness to share responsibilities not only strengthened their leadership, it also helped them to live healthier and more balanced lives.
Moses and Jethro
Moses, the man who spoke to God face to face, and spent so much time in His presence, found himself lacking wisdom in the area of leadership.
I can understand where his heart might have been. He likely felt the immense weight of responsibility, wanting everything to be done perfectly. Perhaps he wasn’t sure there were people spiritually ready to serve as leaders over the people. His concerns weren’t entirely unfounded; after all, the Israelites had a tendency to rebel and quickly forget the goodness and faithfulness of God.
While these fears might have been understandable, the solution was not to take on everything alone. The better path would have been to raise up men and women who shared his heart, who feared God, and who were filled with His Spirit.
In Exodus 18, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, visits him and observes his leadership approach. He sees Moses seated as judge, with people standing around him from morning till evening. Shocked by how much Moses is exerting himself, Jethro offers wise counsel that can be summed up in one word: delegation. Essentially, he advises Moses to put a structure in place and raise up men who are like-minded and capable of sharing the burden of leadership.
God validates this counsel later in Numbers 11:25, when He takes some of the power of the Spirit that was on Moses and places it on seventy elders. These elders became spiritually equipped to help Moses lead the people effectively.
Moses and the 70 Elders
Over time, Moses himself begins to appreciate the value of delegation. In Numbers 11:29, we see him say, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!”. God had specifically instructed Moses to gather seventy elders—leaders and officials known among the people—to share the burden of leadership with him, so he would not have to carry it alone (Numbers 11:4-30).
By this point, Moses had come to see the advantages of having many capable and spiritually empowered individuals to help carry the weight of leadership. He may have even realised that it was God’s wisdom to send Aaron, not only as his brother but as his close companion in ministry.
Moses and Joshua
This understanding of shared responsibility grew in Moses, so much so that he actively mentored Joshua, who eventually became his successor. By then, Moses had fully embraced the truth that he could not do it all on his own. Joshua walked closely with him, likely easing his burdens. Scriptures show Joshua accompanying Moses to places others dared not go. For instance, while the Israelites crafted an idol in their impatience, Joshua remained at the foot of Mount Sinai during Moses’ 40-day encounter with God (Numbers 32:17, 33:11).
Moses’ journey of learning to delegate teaches us that true leadership isn’t about doing everything alone, it’s about raising others to carry the vision forward.
Imagine if Moses had never raised up Joshua. What would have happened after his death? The beautiful part of Moses and Joshua’s story is that Joshua rose to the occasion and became a fantastic leader and judge over Israel, continuing the work Moses had begun.
Moses and Hobab
I have come to understand that the more we receive help, the more open we are to receiving even more of it. Delegation became so integral to Moses’ leadership that, even with the divine guidance of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, and despite his close relationship with God, Moses still appreciated the value of human expertise.
In Numbers 10:29-32, he asked his brother-in-law Hobab to stay with the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land because Hobab knew the terrain well and could guide them with skill and insight.
Appointments of the Levites for Priestly Duties to ease Aaron’s Burden
This same wisdom is reflected in God’s instructions for the Levites to assist Aaron and his sons in their priestly duties. The Levites worked under Aaron’s supervision, carrying out tasks at the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 8:22).
God even established age limits for their service, specifying that only men between 25 and 50 years of age should do the work, recognising that those in their prime would have the strength required for more difficult tasks. After the age of 50, they were still allowed to assist but were required to retire from active duty (Numbers 8:23-26).
Additionally, God assigned specific responsibilities to each Levite to ensure that no one person or a small group was overburdened. This structure prevented burnout and allowed the work to continue smoothly.
Moses and the Israelites
Likewise, this was the whole point of setting out clear laws and rules for conducting themselves.
As you study the Pentateuch, you’ll notice that Moses repeatedly taught the people God’s laws, the terms of His covenant, and the principles for living rightly. By doing so, he lightened the burden of leadership. The more people grow in wisdom and the knowledge of God, the fewer issues they have in conducting themselves properly. Moses also excelled in mentoring and preparing Joshua to succeed him, ensuring continuity in leadership.
Mothers/ Proverbs 31 Woman
For women, especially mothers, there is no prize for “most hardworking woman” or “best wife.” Trying to do it all will only wear you out. Even the Proverbs 31 woman, whom we love and celebrate, had maids to assist her. Proverbs 31:15 says, “She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.”
She assigned tasks to her maid!
Rachel and Leah
In fact, as you read through Scripture, you’ll find that it was common for women to be sent to their husbands’ homes with maidservants. Rachel and Leah, for example, had Bilhah and Zilpah. Servants were so integral to daily life that God not recognised their role but even established laws to protect their well-being.
As a leader, whether at home or in the workplace, learn to hire capable people so you can entrust tasks to them. Let them do what they’re good at, and allow yourself to focus on what matters most. Delegation isn’t just practical—it’s wise stewardship of your time, energy, and resources.
