A Pledge of Allegiance

One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian. (Exodus 2:11-12, 15, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Raised in Pharaoh’s household, Moses was aware of his heritage, aware of “his own people.” We are not told when or how this awareness came to be. Perhaps his adoptive mother, Pharaoh’s daughter, told him when he was old enough. Or maybe his birth mother, who nursed Moses for Pharaoh’s daughter continued on as his nanny after he was weaned, revealed his heritage to him. What we are told, is “he went out to where his own people were and watched them.” His own people.

Apparently, this went beyond mere curiosity to enough of a degree of affinity, that he killed the Egyptian that he saw “beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.” Raised as an Egyptian, once he was old enough to choose, he identified as a Hebrew. Aware of where Moses’ allegiance now lay, Pharaoh tried to kill Moses. Perhaps Satan was somehow aware of the role Moses would later play. “Go. I am [I AM] sending you [Moses] to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10, NIV 1984). So, through Pharaoh, the devil once again attempted to circumvent God’s plan, by an attempt to kill Moses. He will never change.

My Advice – When they are young, children tend to believe in the things that their parents believe in. At some point, as they are growing up, they choose their own beliefs. These may continue to be the beliefs they grew up with. Often, like Moses, they are not. But the beliefs are now their own.

Belief in God, and in HIs Son Jesus Christ, are not inherited. There are only Christian children, not Christian grandchildren. What I mean by this, one does not become a child of God just because their parents are. Conversely, one need not remain a non-believer, just because their parents are. It does not matter who people say Jesus is, even if the “people” are their parents. What really matters is “what about you?” [Jesus asks]. “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29, NIV 1984).

Bottom line? “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will [believe in], whether the gods your [parents believed in] …or the gods of [others]. But as for me…[I] will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15, NIV 1984). For He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16, NIV).