Entering Exodus Part One

 

Courage

Curiosity

Creativity

 

These are three words that come into my mind when I think about the actions of Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus 1.  To rewind and recall what we heard yesterday in worship, the Israelites settled in the land of Egypt.  They had gone down to Pharaoh’s land because there was a famine in their homeland.  They became refugees because of need ~ which is still the story of today.  In this foreign land, Jacob’s descendants thrive ~ live their best life.  For one verse.  You can open your Bible to Exodus 1:7 to read this. For one verse everything is chocolate rivers and pony rides or milk and honey or pizza and ice cream. 

 

Then…a Pharaoh comes to power who failed history class.  The new king doesn’t know about Joseph, doesn’t know why these people are here, doesn’t know how to manage his own anxiety.  The fear that brews within Pharaoh boils over as he forces the Israelites into labor and enacts a policy of killing babies. 

 

Welp, you think, thanks for this uplifting morning meditation.

 

If you go to the Bible searching only for inspiration, sometimes what we find mirrors that the world has brokenness ~ that was, is, and will be a truth Scripture shines a light on.  The Bible won’t let us hide from the woundedness of the world but asks us to bring our full selves to the hard history then and now. 

 

And, there are always traces of grace too.  Amid the fear and forced labor are two fiercely faithful women ~ Shiphrah and Puah ~ midwifes who are told by Pharaoh to kill the baby but say, “No.”  They have:

 

Courage

Curiosity

Creativity

 

Courage to not just go with the flow, but to find another way.

Curiosity to seek a way that lets life thrive.

Creativity to respond to Pharaoh’s confrontation (I love their response in Exodus 1:19, which is essentially to say to Pharaoh, “Golly gee, Pharaoh, the Hebrew women already have their babies by the time we get there.  The babies are practically toddlers when we arrive.  We just don’t know what to do!” Wink, wink, knowing smile here.)

How might you and I be inspired by Shiphrah and Puah in these days?  Where do you need courage today?  Sometimes courage is the willingness to be curious, not just assume that we know it all or that our point of view is anything other than a view from one (single) point.  Where can we be creative?  So often creativity is kept contained in the field of art, but you need creativity in the art of living every day.

So may you, my brothers and sisters, live courage, curiosity, and creativity this day and every day this week.  May you and I be Shiphrah and Puah today.  May you and I be the soul of the places we find ourselves.  Amen.