But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country." Exodus 6:30 - 7:2 (NIV)
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We tend to forget, especially if we watch The Ten Commandments every year, that Moses was the antithesis of a charismatic, commanding leader. In my mind's-eye I picture the movie icon Charlton Heston, with his sculpted physique and his chiseled jawline standing strong in the presence of Pharaoh, and before the gathered Hebrews. Is there any doubt that his people, the Israelites, would follow this version of Moses into the wilderness, to escape the oppression and enslavement by the Egyptians?
Whom we meet in the Book of Exodus, whose authorship many scholars attribute directly to Moses himself, is a flawed man who is quick to admit that he may not be the guy that Yahweh wants or needs to stand before Pharaoh to petition for the release of the Israelite people. The New International Version translation uses the phrase "faltering lips"; the Douay-Reims translation, which I have been reading on my Kindle as a bit of a change of pace, employs the phrase "uncircumscribed lips" (how's that for a unique image?).
What seems very clear to me, amid the varying words and phrases used in the myriad Bible translations, is that Moses had a speech impediment of which he was certain disqualified him from being God's man at the front of the line. We learn as we read along that Moses did a pretty good job, when he accepted God's directive and direction. In spite of his inability to speak with confidence and polish before kings and common folk.
The most important lesson to be learned from Moses' example? God equips us to handle whatever role to which He calls us. Time and again we meet in the Bible heroes and kings who accomplish great and wonderful things. These men and women are chosen by God despite, or perhaps because of, their deficiencies or perceived character flaws. He calls to you and me to lead by example and love others, which is the message He wants us to help spread. People who are "practically perfect in every way" (Mary Poppins, Disney) need not apply.
So, if God comes a-callin' there really isn't any excuse that we could throw at Him to beg off. Stand up and step forward.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country." Exodus 6:30 - 7:2 (NIV)
==============================================================
We tend to forget, especially if we watch The Ten Commandments every year, that Moses was the antithesis of a charismatic, commanding leader. In my mind's-eye I picture the movie icon Charlton Heston, with his sculpted physique and his chiseled jawline standing strong in the presence of Pharaoh, and before the gathered Hebrews. Is there any doubt that his people, the Israelites, would follow this version of Moses into the wilderness, to escape the oppression and enslavement by the Egyptians?
Whom we meet in the Book of Exodus, whose authorship many scholars attribute directly to Moses himself, is a flawed man who is quick to admit that he may not be the guy that Yahweh wants or needs to stand before Pharaoh to petition for the release of the Israelite people. The New International Version translation uses the phrase "faltering lips"; the Douay-Reims translation, which I have been reading on my Kindle as a bit of a change of pace, employs the phrase "uncircumscribed lips" (how's that for a unique image?).
What seems very clear to me, amid the varying words and phrases used in the myriad Bible translations, is that Moses had a speech impediment of which he was certain disqualified him from being God's man at the front of the line. We learn as we read along that Moses did a pretty good job, when he accepted God's directive and direction. In spite of his inability to speak with confidence and polish before kings and common folk.
The most important lesson to be learned from Moses' example? God equips us to handle whatever role to which He calls us. Time and again we meet in the Bible heroes and kings who accomplish great and wonderful things. These men and women are chosen by God despite, or perhaps because of, their deficiencies or perceived character flaws. He calls to you and me to lead by example and love others, which is the message He wants us to help spread. People who are "practically perfect in every way" (Mary Poppins, Disney) need not apply.
So, if God comes a-callin' there really isn't any excuse that we could throw at Him to beg off. Stand up and step forward.
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