I am part of a Bible study group that meets every Tuesday morning. We currently are working our way through the Book of Exodus. This morning our focus was on chapter 11, and we spent a fair amount of time discussing verse 3, "The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharoah's officials and the people."
Think about that. There was much going on Egypt at that time. There had been a series of plagues that had seriously impact the Egyptians. It would have been easy for the people to place the blame on Moses and his people. It was his request to "Let my people go" that had impelled Pharoah to harden his heart.
It got me thinking about what might have caused the Egyptian people to be so "favorably disposed" to God's people. I believe it started with the fact that they had been good citizens, faithfully carrying out their place in the Egyptian culture. They worked tirelessly, even though they were forced t to carry a heavy burden. That was motivated by their faith than it was desire for personal gain. Their values and lifestyle that made them so highly favored.
So, what we might we learn from this story? These are contentious times. Lines have been drawn and those who hold the opposite perspective are viewed as the enemy. Unfortunately, Evangelical Christians are viewed as being on one side, their words and action directed at those who hold the opposing perspective. As a result, we are not always viewed with high esteem.
I truly believe we have a higher calling. Our behavior, our words and our actions should reflect the Love of Christ.
