A daily, 32-day Lenten Devotional Series by Rev. Dave Brown
At the beginning of this story, Moses was a grown man, educated in all the wisdom of Egypt. He had a high status granted to him. He was mighty in word and deed. But something happened to him that was “eye-opening, consciousness-raising and heart transforming.” (Ryken:61) The text says, “he went out to his people and saw their burdens and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.”(Ex. 2:11)
Some people never go out of their privileged positions to see or to identify with oppressed people, much less to call them his/their people. To Moses’ credit, he took that journey. It was a journey which cut him off from his former position as prince of Egypt.
In his journey into the public square, two injustices appeared to Moses in short succession. First, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew; next he saw two Hebrews struggling together with one clearly in the wrong. In each case, Moses took matters into his own hands in the cause of justice. His efforts failed completely. This left him persona non grata in Egypt. So he fled the scene and headed for Midian.
When Moses arrived, he observed some Midianite shepherds take advantage of a group of Midianite shepherdesses. His rescue of the women was commended by them to their father, and led to an invitation to eat and lodge with the family, and eventually to take one of the daughters as his wife.
Moses’ effort to address the issue of injustice did not lead to the position of liberator for which he had been educated. Ryken puts it this way: “With one rash act Moses threw away forty years of spiritual preparation… Moses was trying to save God’s people by his own works rather than letting God save them by his grace.” (Ryken:63)
Reflections: Are you zealous for justice? Then learn the lesson from Moses’ life.
It is positive to leave one’s privileged position, to see people facing injustice, to call them your people and to identify with them in their oppression. However, it is negative to assume that you can save those unjustly treated by taking matters into your own hands.