"Two questions - how do you respond?"

Today's reading: Acts 7:27-29 (New International Version)

27"But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, 'Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

These three verses describe true human nature. Instead of sounding like adults, they sound like children. “Who made you in charge?” is a question I often asked growing up, in an indignant tone of voice, of my brothers. No doubt they ask it of me, but of course I don’t remember that.

The man who questioned Moses is rejecting him totally by asking such a question in front of everyone. The scripture does not describe the crowd(s) but there must have been some unrest because of the murder the day before and because of the current mistreatment taking place. Upon being questioned very straightforwardly, Moses did what most humans would do, fled the scene. I can imagine it now, Moses saying to himself “I gotta get out of here, I really messed up and they are gonna kill me if they get a hold of me.”

I work in a fast-paced environment, some days it seems as if we can’t slow down to breathe with phones ringing, people walking into the office and questions coming from both sides. So it is definitely important for me to stay focused on my tasks, but also focus on the greater good. I must admit, I don’t always. My intentional prayers asking the spirit to be present with me all day and for me to recognize He is there easily get lost. Often, it is 4:30 p.m. and I have fallen short.

Even though Moses fled the scene, he could not flee from God and neither can you or I. God is there with us even when we don’t take the time to recognize his presence. Can you feel His mighty power and His grace? Of course we can, when we open our hearts and mind and souls to allow Him to penetrate us!

If someone were to ask you the second question Moses was asked - do you want to do to me what you did to him/her yesterday? (Paraphrase mine) – how would you feel? I think I would feel empty and embarrassed. The question itself would remind me of my previous failings and I would suddenly want to crawl under the desk and hide.

What do we do if we know we are headed down the wrong path? It is important to recognize it, own up to it and face the facts. Then we must reach out to God for help. Pray, ask a trusted friend to keep encouraging you, read God’s word daily to plant the seed of righteousness within your heart, recall how others have witnessed to you and build upon their experiences to grow yours. Determine what is right and what is wrong and make absolutely certain what you do and say helps to further the kingdom and give all glory to God.


Dorothy Brucks
Aldersgate UMC
Nixa, MO.