on making poor choices to protect ourselves

My SOAP devotional for Feb. 16th

S - Exodus 1:8-10a, 15-17
"8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous..."

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live."

O - The key word in this passage for me is "threat". The new King was threatened by the number of the Israelites. Why? Because they had different customs, they worshipped God, and perhaps they were not loyal to Egypt? Really, he FEARED they would turn against them. The King sought a way to oppress them through slavery, hoping to kill their spirit and stop their growth. His paranoia and oppression escalated to murder when he asked the midwives to start killing baby boys. He asked the wrong ladies though for their faith was strong and they risked their lives to do what was right.

A - This passage reminds me of the genocide that has taken place throughout human history in places like Poland, Rwanda, Darfur, and the Holy Land...and even here on American soil with gang violence and abortion. In each of these situations, someone made themselves and their own interests a priority. We as humans really are a savage people. For when we get so focused on our own desires and what is in the way of getting what we want or what we see as a threat, we simply will destroy it. It's not just murder that destroys. The destruction of a threat happens every day with "civilized" individuals too. Like those that will gossip to destroy a reputation, or cheat others simply because they "deserve" it or to advance their own economic status/career. We are ALL guilty at some point of making poor choices for the sake of bettering ourselves. Are we really that much different in God's eyes from this pharaoh or Hitler when we put our own best interests ahead of others and perform selfish acts?

P - God of LIFE! You have put us on this planet to test the boundaries of love. Will you help me to love those that are a "threat" and help me to always seek your wisdom, goodness, and glory regardless of the personal cost.