By Kenneth O. Gangel
All proper service for God should begin with legitimate concern. Pastors, elders, Sunday school teachers, and all church leaders should know people’s needs and burdens and allow God to direct their hearts before designing new ministries.
FLESHLY ACTION
Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” (Exod. 2:12-13).
Here Moses’ best intentions go awry. These verses tell us that he checked to see that no one was watching and then killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. Apparently Moses was quite satisfied with the day’s work, because he went out the next day and raised questions of behavior with two of the Hebrews.
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Eight times in Exodus 2:11-12, we read either the name Moses or a personal pronoun referring directly to him. Legitimate concern can be followed by action generated only by the fleshly strength of one’s own nature. We have no record that Moses ever asked God what He wanted done in Egypt. His spiritual understanding seems very shallow, and Moses acted in haste, rather in the way that Peter behaved in the garden when he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
We might contrast this with Nehemiah when he first heard about the problems of his people back in the land of Israel. From his post in the palace of a pagan king, he began to fast and pray, seeking the mind of God as to what role he should play to aid his brethren. Fleshly action is never a proper follow-up to legitimate concern.
HUMAN CRITICISM
The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known” (Exod. 2:14).
Moses was not prepared for criticism of his action. He expected a hero’s welcome, acclaim as the savior of his people. But instead the Hebrew he questioned on the second day scolded him for interfering!
But Moses didn’t have time to worry about ingratitude; his mind turned immediately to a new problem. Everybody in Egypt might now know that he had murdered an Egyptian the day before. Soon Pharaoh would seek his life; escape was the only solution.
How dependent are you on the praise of others for joy in your Christian life and ministry? Some church leaders happily go about their tasks week after week as long as someone offers thanks and an occasional word of appreciation. Better yet if we bring them to the platform and publicly acclaim them as faithful people, important to our congregation.