The Lord said to [Moses], "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A rod." And he said, "Cast it on the ground. So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand, and take it by the tail" -- so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand -- "that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you." Exodus 4:2-5 (RSV)

"Be playful with the scriptures." That was the advice of one of my seminary professors. He was not suggesting his students be unfaithful to God's word. He wanted us to look beyond the words to all possible meanings wrought from the characters, emotions and situations found in each biblical passage.

The story of Moses begs for such playfulness. Moses is one of the most interpreted characters in the Bible -- to the point that most of us think that he looked like Charlton Heston!

Consider the story of Moses on Mount Sinai -- his first encounter with God. Here was a man, once lieutenant to the most powerful man in the civilized world, now "self-deposed" to the rank of shepherd -- one of the lowliest of jobs. Even worse, he was working for his father-in-law!

But in this moment, he was face-to-face with Almighty God -- a situation he, and most people of his day believed would bring instant death. Put yourself in Moses' sandals as they speak.

"What's that in your hand, Moses?"

"I-I-It's my shepherd's staff."

"Throw it down."

Now this is not just a stick Moses picked up to play with. It is not just a walking stick. The staff, or rod as the scripture calls it, was essential to making a living as a shepherd. It was a tool. Shepherds used the crooked end to pull sheep back into the herd when they strayed. It was a handy extension of their arm -- to grasp things just beyond their reach.

The blunt end was important, too. If a wild animal attacked, the shepherd could use the end to poke it away. He could also use the staff like a baseball bat and beat back offenders if needed.

The staff was, indeed, a necessity for making a living, and sometimes for simply staying alive. No shepherd dared leave home without it. The rod was indispensable, essential, vital to the everyday life of the shepherd.

"Throw it down."

For all Moses knew, God was telling him to get rid of his rod. He might never see it again. And it was a good rod. It had just the right grip and flex and swing weight. Moses was used to it.

There were many fond memories attached to that rod, too. The wild animals he had fought off. The sheep he had saved. The comfort and support it gave him when he twisted his ankle a few months ago. Moses could buy or cut a new rod, but it just wouldn't be the same.

"Throw it down."

God was asking Moses to throw down that one possession that was most important. A tunic, a cloak, a few coins, even a sandal or two would not have made much difference. But to throw down his rod was to give up his means for making a living. To get rid of it could mean death in the desert where wild animals and poachers thrived.