Three Truths and One Not So True

When we tend to introduce ourselves, we really have to share a considerable amount of information, in a very short amount of time, and the person listening to us has to accept whatever we say is true. I was challenged once by a group of my fellow teachers at a new school that I was teaching at to share two things that are true about myself and one that is not so true. Now, if you know me, it will be easy to pick the right one out. If not, I want you to take a good guess.

1. I met my wife while serving in the Army.
2. I am a father of six children.
3. I potty-trained myself.

Before anyone who knows me spoils it for the ones who don't, I will give you a hint. I can honestly say that number 2 and 3 are true. Number 1 is not because I met my wife before entering the military.

When we get to know someone there are a few facts that may surprise us. Two Sunday's ago, I shared a lesson with a group of 3rd through 5th graders concerning Moses. Now anyone who thinks that they are very familiar with Moses would be able to ramble off several facts about his life. These facts would be that his mother and father were Hebrew slaves, he was put in a basket in the Nile River, and he was adopted by the Pharoah's daughter. Each of these are true, but they really don't tell the full story.

Yes, Moses was born to two Hebrew slaves, but what we fail to share is that he was the youngest son with two older siblings -- a brother and sister, so when the babies were sent to their deaths in the Nile River, he was born under a new Pharoah. What is interesting is that if you research this Pharoah, he came from a group who originated from the land of Canaan and like what normally happens in those times, they invaded a weak Egypt and took power and control. What is interesting, is that this group knew about the Hebrew people and had a long standing hatred for them. So when they went into power, and they saw that these Hebrew people were vast in number, they knew that they had to do some population control or else they would be thrown from power by their worst enemy.

This brings me to Moses and that water-tight basket. Think about it. Pharoah's law was that all male babies were to be thrown into the Nile River. How creative Moses' mother was to take some liberty with the law and create a little boat for her little baby boy to ride in. Pharoah never declared a law stating that these baby boys were not allowed some level of guardianship let alone a personal yacht.

This brings me to the last point. How convenient that big sister was appointed the guardian and she conveniently had all the right information to share with Pharoah's daughter. You have to be kidding me if you think that the Pharoah's daughter would be so naive to think that this strange Hebrew girl from nowhere was just out enjoying a day at the river. She knew this little girl had to be the baby's sister, but Pharoah's daughter played along with the game and told her to go find a suitable Hebrew woman to nurse this cute little boy from the river. Big sister very likely with a wink said, "I know the right woman. Let me go get her." The most amazing deal in history was made when mom was getting paid to take care of her own child! Don't you wish that was available today?

I could go on and blow you out of the water with this myth that Moses hid the fact that he was Hebrew. I won't go into details as to why everyone in Egypt including the palace, knew that he was a Hebrew. If you really read the Scriptures, they point to the fact that the people in the palace knew that there was something different about Moses. Moses lived in that palace by the grace and protection of God. This child didn't have a charmed life. He had a God-guided life. God had a purpose for him, and though he didn't know the details, his parents didn't know the details, Pharoah didn't know the details, and Pharoah's daughter didn't even know the details, the fact is God knew the details and wrote it out so amazingly well.

When we go through life, we really have a hard time when things don't work out as we have planned. We want to construct a great future for ourselves, but wouldn't you know it, we always encounter a piece of the puzzle that doesn't seem to fit. This is where hindsight is always 20/20 (if you don't know what that means -- you see things better after everything is done). I believe that God created the past so that when we get to a point where we don't understand and reflect, He can pull out those little details that He used before to make you into the person that He is wanting you to be. When Moses wrote about his life in the book of Exodus, I can only picture him chuckling at all those specific little details that God had used, that at the time seemed so mystical and odd, and in seeing those details taking comfort that as he is leading the people to the Promised Land, God has that way mapped out.

I don't know where you are in your journey, but I know that mine seems rather "strange," but I look at a few of the subtle pieces and I can chuckle and say, "God just loves to use those little details to show me that He has my way prepared. I just need to follow Him."

For more information refer to Exodus Chapters 1 and 2

--Brian