Do you ever read something in the Bible and you know you've read it a BUNCH of times but something new jumps out at you like you never noticed THAT before? It is a "living" word. Recently I was re-reading the story of Moses and the burning bush, Ex 4, and was struck by the command of God, Ex 4:4, to pick up the snake by the tail.
I've enjoyed the metaphor of Moses throwing down his shepherd's staff many times. God was asking Him to leave his old life for a new one. The shepherd's rod was going to become the rod of God. He had a new purpose and calling and it was going to take leaving the old. Okay, so I got that.
Two days ago I was thinking about this scenario again when I thought--why did God go to the trouble
to turn the rod into a snake. I know God used that miracle with Pharaoh later so there was a foreshadowing of what was to come but was there more? Yes, it took faith to grab the snake by the tail. I was raised in western Kansas and I know you don't catch a snake by the tail. We used to catch bull snakes with our hands for the fun of it and the goal was always to grab them just behind the head. It feels really cool as long as you don't get bit. But grabbing a snake by the tail is a receipt for disaster!
But still, why a snake? Maybe it was a personal fear with Moses we don't know about--could be! I'm guessing that there was a different reason and I think it has to do with the rod and his call to leadership. Leadership bites. It is a tough calling, you can't live to please people. They turn on you and you can get hurt (not that that's ever happened to me, of course). The more I thought about it the more appropriate the command seems to be. Yes reach your hand right to the snake. Yes pick it up despite the risk. Yes it doesn't make sense on a human level. Yes the snake looks like the evil that tempted Eve. Yes, yes, yes there is danger BUT I AM is with you. And if you will pick it up you can lead. If you won't pick it up--you can't lead!
In the moment that I thought through all of this I recommitted to my call and to leadership despite the risk. God is Good and His Word is still speaking today.
Gary Kendall
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