The Fabulous Five
Exodus 1:8-2:10
Sermon delivered Sunday, February 5, 2006
by Rev. Lynn P. Lampman
Some days I wonder "what am I doing with my life?" At first, I thought I was asking this big, deep life question because I am approaching 50 and know that my life is now more than half over. Then I realized, my newest employee who is twenty seven is asking the same question, "Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing with my life? Am I in the right place, doing the right thing?"
In preparation for the sermon this morning, I noticed that this question is not the one being dealt with in our two texts. Yet, I am not disappointed because I think there maybe an even more important question being asked and answered. The question being, not the big question, what will I do with my life? But rather, the bigger question of, what am I doing now (the only moment any of us have). What am I doing with the opportunity before me? And am I doing what is really needed?
So, let's jump right into those chapters, those dealing with the group I call the "fabulous five". You may wonder what makes them so fabulous. Matters of fact, some of them are never even mentioned by name. Yet, what makes them fabulous is they effectively used the opportunity that was before them and they did what was needed. And that and that alone is what makes them fabulous in God's eyes and hopefully in our eyes too.
A Zen master was invited to a great Roman Catholic monastery to instruct the monks who resided there in the practice of Zen. The holy man exhorted the monks to meditate constantly and to try to solve their Zen mystery with great energy and zeal. He told them that if they practiced with full-hearted effort, true understanding would come to them. "But, you really must put your heart into it," he stressed.
All of the monks listened attentively and smiled politely.
Finally, one old monk raised his hand and said, "Master, our way of prayer is a little different than yours. We have been meditating and praying in the simplest fashion without effort; for we believe that a person must wait, instead, to be illumined by the grace of God. Isn't there anything in Zen about this illumination that comes from doing nothing, that comes to a person uninvited?"
The Zen master, when he heard this, laughed out loud and said, "My dear fellow, the reason we Buddhists put some much effort into prayers is because we believe God has already done enough!"
And so, we have the fabulous five not waiting around for God to do something amidst the reign of a wicked and cruel king. Rather, each when the opportunity presented itself did something.
Let's begin with number one and two of the fabulous five. The king of Egypt spoke to Shiprah and Puah, the two midwives who helped the Hebrew women. I think these two women were great and I am surprised no one has named their children after them. The king said, "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, kill the baby if it is a boy; but if it is a girl, let it live." So, what did they do? Scripture tells us, "but the women were God-fearing, and so did not obey the king; instead, they let the boys live." Assisting in births became more important to them than following commands. Who among us fears (another name for reveres) God enough to bring things to birth regardless how dangerous? Who among us will refuse to take part in anything that brings about death and will participate only in those things that bring life? I find it amazing that if the women had obeyed the king, God plans for a nation and for the entire human race would have been stopped right then and there. Rather, their brave, conscience ridden, faith filled "no" changed the course of history. Could it be that what God needs for some of us to do is "just say no." Individual lives, entire communities and scores of nations have forever been changed because somebody or in this case two people had the courage to say "no." When God asks what some of us are doing, what we are able to say is, "I said no." Some of you are able to say "no" to killing someone's reputation by refusing to listen to or spread gossip. Some of you are able to say no by refusing to hear jokes that serve as vehicles for spreading prejudice, racism, discrimination and stereotypes that destroy the potential for unity, mutuality and connection. And some of you can fill in your own situation where a "no" was needed if life was to continue and flourish. Are there those of us this morning, which need to say "no" to injustice and inequity, to say no to someone, something, or somewhere?
Now that we have met number one and two of the fabulous five, it's now time for woman number three. She is none other than the mother of Moses. When the king of Egypt could not get the midwives to do his bidding and kill all the Hebrew boys, he commanded all of the people to take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile. Sometimes what is a mother to do? Do the best she can. After hiding the baby Moses for three months, she felt she could keep him safe and alive no longer, so she put him in a water tight basket and placed him in the tall grass by the edge of the river. Sometimes, after doing all we can do, our final act of love is to let go. Had Moses' mother held on to him, he might have never survived. Sometimes if life is continue for those we love, we must let them go. It may even be in the face of death, as it was for Moses and his mother. Maybe, you have been with someone who was near death and out of love you let them go, and then they could let go and in doing so find life after this life. Maybe, you have loved someone enough to let them go, so they could experience the real consequences of their addiction. In doing so they found rock bottom and then wanted life to be different and then they found new life. Are there those of us this morning, who out of love need to "let go" of someone, something or somewhere?
Number four in the line up of the fabulous five is none other than the king's daughter. As a princess she was required to be a virgin. Here you have a woman who at this time in her life is not able to be a mother. Yet, that did not stop her from having motherly instincts. Even though her circumstances seemed to limit her, she did not fail to take the opportunity that was before her. I think the Christian life is often misrepresented when it is only portrayed as a hard road and an uphill climb. Yet, I think that more often than not, God desires to give us the desires of our heart. Some may say, she snatched up the baby just to fill her own need. Yes, and God used it, didn't God? Some of us this morning, may find we can get our own needs met and serve God too and do God's will, all at the same time. Some of us may come to realize we need not be limited by our circumstances, but rather those circumstances can even present us with important opportunities.
The last member of fabulous five is none other than Moses sister. Here was a woman who failed to leave her brother's side. While Moses mother placed the baby at the river's edge and left, his sister remained. She remained to look after and protect him. When the opportunity presented itself she seized it. What about those people who stand by, watching and waiting for the right moment. "For even those who sit and wait, serve." She waited till the princess had a need, a crying baby and no one to nurse him. She was not the one who met that need. Fear not, the story does not end there. Rather, she offers to find someone to nurse her brother, the infant Moses. And who does she get? None other than Moses mother. Are there some of you this morning, who will stand by and wait for the right moment to intervene, somehow knowing how to meet the need? And because of your help the right person or people will be brought together to meet that need. Some of us this morning, might be presented with a need. And if we are not the one to meet the need and provide nurture, then we can bring someone, something, to meet that need and provide nourishment and sustenance, so that life can go on.
And last but not least, our story ends with a return of one of the fabulous five, Moses' mother. Because of love, she released her son and let him go and now he returns to her. Did the blessing only come when and because they were reunited? No the blessings began to flow when she him let him go and continued through their reunion. Moses' mother could count her blessings:
- her son was alive, rather than killed by the kings edict,
- Moses becomes a "free" man, not a slave.
- As his nurse, she gets to stay with her son,
- she moves from the fields to the palace,
- She gets paid to be Moses nurse, which indicates that she is no longer a slave either.
- In the end, she too got a chance to do the very things she most desired, and got paid to do it too.
The fabulous five present us with five fabulous things to consider and do when the opportunity is presented and a need is before you:
Say "no",
Let go,
Follow the desires of your heart, and by so doing you serve God too,
Wait and when the need is presented, get the right person or people to meet that need.
If the truth be told, there aren't a whole lot of people who know our names as individuals or as a church. We are not many in number, a small church no matter how you count it. Given all that, we might feel quite small some days. When all is said and done, you and I will probably not be associated with the word spectacular.
Yet, the word fabulous can and should be associated with us. For we have been and still can be, counted among the ranks of the fabulous five as seen by God's eyes. For by saying no, letting go, following the desires of our heart, and waiting and responding when the need presents itself we become one among them.
So what are we doing with our life? Noticing the opportunities that are before us and responding to the need that is presented!
By the way, has anyone told you lately, you look fabulous.
Amen and Amen.
© 2005 by Rev. Lynn Lampman. All rights reserved. Please consult the author at tabernacle@tabunited.org if you wish to use the text of this sermon, in whole or in part.
