“An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

- from Exodus 2:19

Moses had to leave Egypt after word about his murder of the Egyptian became widely known. He fled to Midian and there encountered another conflict.

Seven women were taking care of a flock of sheep when a band of shepherds came along and started harassing them. Moses came to their rescue and watered their flock. The hard-wiring of the Deliverer was still present in Moses’ life, even if it didn’t take the shape he expected.

All of this happened right after Moses’ great identity crisis. He tried to do the right thing for his people and he tried to identify with his Hebrew roots. But he was rejected.

And, now, look what happens.

Notice how the women identify Moses in today’s passage. Gallant. He rescued them and served them. An all around good guy. And he’s an Egyptian.

To be called an Egyptian by these women was to add insult to injury, to add insult to insult and injury to injury. How that must have hurt!

But Moses didn’t correct them.

Moses gave up on his identity as a Hebrew and as a Deliverer. He contented himself to wander in the wilderness, taking care of sheep for the next 40 years of his life. Only an act of God could turn Moses around.

Where have you taken a risk and had it blow up in your face? How has that shaped your identity and the way you describe yourself? How is God interacting with you around that?