Jehu doubled up his pace as he walked down the street to his friend, Erez’s house. He thought he heard footsteps. The streets of Goshen were no longer as safe as they used to be. Luckily, he was almost at Erez’s hut. In a couple of minutes, he was at the hut. Erez had been waiting for him. “I asked Joaim to prepare your dinner along with mine.” Erez said, before they got down to business.
“My friend, this is not a matter of food. In fact, I don’t have an appetite.” Jehu replied.
“I really don’t think this matter is that serious but alright, we can eat after we discuss. Can we at least drink wine as we talk?” Erez offered. Jehu reluctantly nodded as he took his seat.
“Erez, I wish I was at that meeting! They are lucky I am not yet an elder. I would have rebelled at that meeting.” Jehu stated, fuming with anger. “It is one thing for Moses to be back in town but the audacity to think he can come back and tell us that God, the same God of our father Abraham, told him to lead us out of captivity. How? People who are better qualified than him have tried to fight for our freedom. Did you hear that it was the signs he performed that won the elders over? Oh, how gullible they were!”
“Ah, my friend! I understand that you don’t like Moses but to insult the elders, that’s too much!” Erez retorted.
“Alright, but Moses probably did some magic. Listen, you know I see deep down into people unlike others. This Moses has a ‘savior’ complex, I tell you. He thinks because he grew up in the palace, that he’s in a position to emancipate us. What does he know about slavery? Tell me if his back has ever touched straws or bricks. How can God truly call someone who is so privileged, that our plight is not his reality?” Jehu was literally panting as he spoke. He paused briefly to take a sip of wine before he continued.
“See, I know these things. I can deduce his tactics from as far as the Nile. This same Moses with his savior complex killed an Egyptian while trying to defend one of us. Unsolicited help! I tell you; he has been trying to be a hero for a long time. A whole murderer! Now tell me which God asked him to lead us out of slavery? This is my theory- Moses wants to be hero or maybe the next Pharaoh, but because he isn’t biologically a royal and because he fell out with them after killing an Egyptian, he wants to use us, children of Israel, as his backup. He just wants to be a leader at all costs!”
“Are you sure?” Erez interrupted. “The same shy Moses that could barely speak to people. I don’t see him as that kind of person”. Erez added.
“Of course! That’s why I said I see deeper into people. Anyway, what is most annoying about this is the idea of being led out of slavery by such a privileged person.
“Jehu! Jehu!” Erez said amidst chuckles. “Are you done ranting? So, are you saying God could not have really chosen Moses?”
Jehu rolled his eyes before adding “Well, he is not really one of us. You know what I mean”.
“I know what you mean but I also know that the God of our fathers has historically chosen people as he pleased, like our father, Jacob. Was he perfect or better qualified than his brother? I don’t think so. At least from the little history I know. So, if the same God chose Moses who grew up in the palace, murdered an Egyptian and just returned from exile, well it wouldn’t be the first.”
Jehu looked at Erez with slight disappointment that he had a different opinion, but Erez continued. “Listen, my friend. What Moses is trying to do is not all glamorous. It’s such a huge and dangerous responsibility that if he was doing this for the wrong reasons, he would be frustrated and give up quickly. Ok, since you don’t like Moses, who would you rather do this? Or would you take up the responsibility yourself?
Jehu’s disappointment turned into anger again. He picked up his cup of wine, turned his back to Erez and nursed his drink quietly.
Reference- Exodus 2-5, Acts 7:35
Erez’s attitude is closely related to a sense of entitlement with respect to abilities. “We are the ones qualified to be in that position; it’s our turn; where is this one coming from?” Examples abound about people lost in the service of God but everything about them seems off the mark. Like singing off key yet loving to sing or teach songs. “We are the acknowledged soloist” but like David’s older brothers, God has not selected them
True and even when the sense of entitlement is based on facts or seems logical, God can still choose to use whoever He pleases , beyond our human reasoning. Thank you for reading and commenting.