By Faith...Moses
What mother doesn't want to think her baby's special. The push of mothers has advanced civilization. How many heads of state, leaders of major corporations, professionals, and industry leaders, grew up with their mothers telling them they were special?!
The lives of the Israelites were difficult, at best, when Moses was born. The Bible indicates that his mother thought he was special and so built the little ark/basket and floated it along the shoreline. The intent of getting the baby to be raised in the household of Pharoah with his own family of origins watching over him was the plan of Moses' mother.
While the intent of the reference to Moses in Hebrews chapter eleven is to show his determination to protect and advance the cause of the Jews, the picture must focus initially on the role his mother played in getting him where he could be a powerful, positive force for good and for God.
The philosophy so popular since the 1960's of letting children explore their identity and options without traditional parental boundaries has reaped a huge crop of second and now third generation children without coping skills or an understanding of societal norms and boundaries. It has also engendered a generation adrift without goals or ambition.
There seems to be a rapidly spreading gap between the idealism, determination, and sense of duty known by the generation of young adults during the WWII era and the sense of self-actuation and independence prevelent among children of today's generation.
Where are the Moses' of today's generation? Where are those individuals who will weigh all the costs and still chose to serve God, protect the vulnerable, lead the hopeless and give voice to the oppressed? Those individuals aren't raised by chance, nor by television or video games. The modern Moses is raised deliberately and intentionally to be the defender of the faith and purveyor of justice, just as was Moses of ancient Egypt.
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. What a marvelous old adage! How are the young twigs today being bent? Are they bending with every wind and wave of fad and peer pressure? Are their parents responding to every suggestion of advertising and marketing by running to Wal Mart because "Junior wants it."
If there is no deliberation and determination on the part of parents to mold Godly leaders, people who will excel in their generation...there won't be Godly leaders or role models of excellence coming from their family. Powerful, Godly people don't just happen, they are "train(ed) up...in the way in which (they) should go..."
Come on people! Give us more young folks like Moses!