Pastor's Blog

 10 Things Moses’ Mother Did Right

Exodus 2:10 – And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. (NKJV)

Moses was raised in challenging times. He was born under a sentence of death and only desperate measures by his parents under the Spirit’s leadership can be credited with Moses having survived to adulthood. War, political instability, economic depressions can impose the same hardships on families that social demise has brought in recent decades. In handing over her son to be raised by a stranger Moses’ mother faced the same challenges a young mother faces today when divorce has destroyed her home forcing her to share motherhood with a total stranger. We have reason to believe that Moses spent as many as six years in his parent’s home before he was given over to Pharaoh’s daughter. His life teaches us how much can be instilled in a short period of time and of the importance of the early years of child development.

When we look at Moses’ life we don’t see the influence of the Egyptian royal family. Instead we see what careful and godly nurturing can do to raise a child to fulfill His God-ordained destiny. There are at least 10 things Moses’ mom did right. (1). She taught Moses the God of his fathers (Ex. 3:15). The Israelites were more than century further removed from their Patriarchs that we are from our founding fathers. To lead Israel from bondage Moses had to re-introduce them to their covenant heritage. (2). She taught Moses who he was (Acts 7:23). Despite a life of privilege the prince of Egypt never renounced his pedigree to live as royalty. (3). She taught him how to recognize the call of God upon his life (Acts 7:25). Moses was surprised when his own people failed to recognize that God had destined him to lead them to freedom.

(4). She taught him not to compromise who he was for the acceptance of the crowd (Heb. 11:25). It’s in the first few years of a child’s life that he learns how to balance opportunity and character. Worldly children are taught to seize opportunity in whatever for it presents itself. But godly children will never embrace opportunity at the expense of character. (5). She taught him how to walk in grace toward those who held grudges against him (Num 12:13). Grudge-bearing is one of the earliest hurdles a child will face in life. What this mother taught Moses enabled him to go far. (6). She taught Moses how to handle rejection. Most of us take an “in your face” approach to rejection. One rejection deserves another. But Moses took an “on my face” approach. When rejected, he simply fell on his face. Instead of shouting “who are you” he said, “Who am I?” 

(7). She taught Moses how to lead under pressure (Ex. 14:11-13). With his back to the Red, the Egyptian army in his face and the panicking Israelites in his ear Moses declared, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” (8). She taught him how to lead with humility (Num. 12:3). Perhaps the greatest political leader and national figure of all time was a man who was the meekest who ever lived. (9). She instilled within him the character that would prompt him to lay down his life for his people (Ex. 32:32). (10). The most important of all the things Moses mother taught him was to know how to talk with God (Deut. 9:27-29). In his position most would have given up the destruction of his people to will of God. But Moses interceded and like the Samaritan woman who reasoned with Jesus (Mk. 7:28), Moses preserved his people because he knew how to talk with God.