Retirement Job
God said, “The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.” But Moses said, “Who me?” – Exodus 3:9-11 (NRSV, adapted)
The older we get, the more entitled we feel to say “no,” because we don’t have as much energy and besides, it’s time for the next generation to step up.
Imagine you are eighty years old, enjoying your sunset years after a long and satisfying career, when out of the blue you are called to a full-time volunteer position leading people out of a country where you are wanted by the law. I can feel your “No!” from here.
When God spoke to him through the burning bush, Moses declined not once, but four times. It’s possible Moses’s reluctance to lead was one of his strongest credentials. No truly great leader ever thought of themselves as great.
Moses thought leadership required outstanding public speaking skills, but God had much different criteria: a heart of gold, not a golden tongue.
An ancient Hebrew legend explains it this way: One day, while Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock, a kid wandered off. Moses left the flock in search of the one that had become lost. He finally found the poor, tired, hungry creature, gave it water, placed it on his shoulders and carried it home. God said, “If that’s how he treats one lost kid, he will show great care and compassion for my people.”
Our job at any age is to show compassion for God’s people. Maybe you will be called to care for thousands or for only one. It’s all the same to God.
Prayer
Holy One, may I see you and serve you and care for you in each one today.
About the AuthorMatt Laney is co-Pastor of Virginia Highland Church UCC in Atlanta, GA and the author of Pride Wars, a fantasy series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. The first two books, The Spinner Prince and The Four Guardians are available now.