Reluctant

Back in the day when my kids were still young and living in my house and dependent on me driving them places, there were generally two kinds of excursions: those they chose and those which were chosen for them. The differences in readiness and preparation were often epic. If we were going to, say, an amusement park or a soccer game or a swim meet, they were at the door ready to go with at least most of what they were supposed to take. But if we were headed somewhere like school or the dentist or grocery shopping, there was negotiation, whining, feet-dragging, and general, well, reluctance. Sometimes outright defiance.

Even worse were chores. Chores were often accompanied by arguing that they didn’t feel well, it was their sibling’s turn, and then followed by finally heading off to work only to leave behind what they needed to actually perform the chore.

Moses’ day started by inspecting a burning bush that wasn’t being consumed by the fire and ended up in an argument with God, getting sent anyway, and getting paired up with his older brother. Moses argued that he wasn’t good at talking to people. Well he had just spent years wandering around the desert of Midian talking to sheep. He argued no one would believe God had sent him. So God did the staff to snake to staff trick and told Moses to show that to any who didn’t believe God sent him. Finally God, in exasperation perhaps, gives Moses a pass on actually doing the talking himself by pairing Moses with his brother, Aaron.

As Moses reluctantly drags himself out the door to go meet Aaron, with his sandals untied and his cloak hanging down off his slumped shoulders, God’s parting comment reminds him to take the staff with him. The “staff to snake to staff” equipment.

Can’t you just hear it? I can because I’ve been the one who is reluctant and the one cajoling the reluctant. I’ve been the one reminding someone to remember their essential equipment that I provided for their success.

All too often though, I am the reluctant. And in my reluctance, my disobedience, I have to be reminded to take my staff. God has done mighty things in my life which demonstrate His power and His love. When He sends me out, He provides what I need.

And yet, I still argue and drag my feet and forget my staff sometimes.