Last week, we delved back into a study into people of the Bible and we took a look at Pharaoh 1 from Exodus chapter on. We’ll be looking at the other Pharaohs later, as we progress deeper into the events of Exodus, but for today, part two, we’re going to take a deeper look at Moses’ sister.
Later on, in chapter 15, we learn that her name is Miriam, but we’re going to look at her as a child, in chapter 2. When Moses was born, his mother placed him in an “arc of bulrushes” and sent him down the river. Verse 4 says, “And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.”
So, immediately, we see that she was concerned for her mother. Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe in the river and found him. Verse 7 says, “Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?’ And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go.’ So the maiden went and called the child’s mother.”
I can’t imagine the grief Moses’ mother went through at having to give him up, but she did it to save his life from Pharaoh’s cruel edict. Miriam would have known the pain her mother was in at giving Moses up, and that was the reason why she immediately spoke up to Pharaoh’s daughter. By having Moses’ mother nurse him, Pharaoh’s daughter would be none the wiser and it would give Moses’ mother a few more years with him.
Miriam cared for her brother and went the extra mile to make sure he would be cared for. How many of us go the extra mile for even our friends and family and those in our daily lives? What about co-workers? Strangers? How many of us go the extra mile to help a stranger, whether it’s opening doors, carrying groceries, or a wave and a smile to lift up someone when they’re having a bad day?
How many of us actually have compassion for other people? Today, compassion toward people, especially strangers, feels like something that is severely lacking. Fear has forced us to keep our distance, because our worry for a disease keeps us from being kind to others and doing kind deeds.
Who can you offer a helping hand to in your life today? Even if you must do it online—a like here or a comment there, or even a message to let someone know you’re thinking about them or praying for them—can go a very long way in someone’s life.
Today, I challenge you to do a random act of kindness for someone in your life—someone who you know needs it today.
