Being a baby in Egypt

Monday, July 17, 2023

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Being a baby in Egypt

Whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.

In this case the little ones might be children, or they might be Jesus’ followers. In either case, they have no way to repay God, who is generous with them. Jesus wants us to be God’s kids, share and share alike, offering cold water to each other on a hot day. “Freely you have received, so freely give.”

A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

There is a sense here too, that this king has been given something freely. But rather than sharing with those around him, he becomes self-protective and stingy rather than generous. Joseph is long gone. No one even knows his name. He is only aware that the slaves he has inherited have a few problems, and he sets about removing them.

Come let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase. Taskmasters to oppress them with forced labor, building cities for us. Reduce them to cruel slavery. Make life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick.

It didn’t work.

The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.

This pharaoh is not giving the Hebrews any cups of cold water. They must outnumber his own people by now. Like the Romans long after him, the pharaoh felt hemmed in and threatened, whether he was or not.

Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects, “Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews, but you may let all the girls live.”

But it’s the girls who carry the babies and birth the children. Why does Pharaoh kill the boys but not the girls? Midwives, sister, mother and wife surround the man by whom the pharaoh is undone: Moses.

Mister Moses could never have done this alone. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife.” Men and women mostly become heroes together, rather than separately. There is always someone behind the throne. Moses’ mother Jocheved and sister Miriam, Batya the Egyptian princess, and the midwives Shifr and Puah, together rescued and raised him. Later his wife Zipporah rescues him from the wrath of God.

Women open doors and keep them open. When nervous soldiers close the doors to protect their families, women open them again, inviting God in rather than shutting anyone out. I know this is not always true, even if I wish it were. Here is a thought about Jesus and open doors, from Steve Garnaas-Holmes:

He says he’s a gate but we make him a wall.

An obstacle. A closure. A restriction

that limits access to God to the right people.

Baloney.

 

Jesus is here to let people in, not to keep them out.

He’s not a wall, but a door. Not a fence but a gateway.

An opening.

Jesus is for those who are searching for God,

sheep searching for good pasture,

who keep coming up against walls.

Fear is a wall.

Doubt and distrust is a wall.

People’s judgment and expectations are a wall.

Religion can be a wall.

But Jesus is an opening.

Through all the walls of right religion and being good enough

Jesus holds an opening. A gateway.

He says, “I am your opening.

Come in and go out, and find good pasture.

Let me love you. That is the gateway to everything.”

(Genesis 49-50, Psalm 105, 1 Peter 4, Matthew 10)

(posted at www.davesandel.net)

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