This moment where something creeps into our heart and pulls our focus from right to wrong. It will be just a hint of distortion. The smallest amount. But a slight and seemingly insignificant amount of skewed thought will take root. And grow. Beyond what you can even imagine.
Just like how the nation of Israel in came into captivity? Why was the entire nation of Israelites - all God's people - all twelve tribes - enslaved in Egypt? If you trace this story backwards you'll find it's because of one seemingly insignificant moment. The course of history was changed because a few family members got a little cranky and a little jealous of their brother Joseph. Envy and anger slipped in. Just a hint. But just enough. It doesn't take much.
Joseph was thrown in a pit and eventually sold as a slave. Years went by. Years of heartbreak and confusion passed. Eventually, Joseph landed in a position of great power in Egypt and had authority to provide food for his family. So, all 11 of his brothers and their families moved to Egypt. Joseph and his 11 brothers make up what became the 12 tribes of Israel. As these tribes multiplied they became the nation of Israel.
What the brothers meant for evil, God used for good. He saved the Israelites from the famine. But there were still lasting effects of the brothers' choices that came out years later. After Joseph died, "Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 'Look,' he said to his people, 'the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.' So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. (Exodus 1:8-11)
So, the entire nation of Israel suffered oppression and slavery. Why? Because a few brothers on an ordinary day got a little jealous and allowed anger and envy to slip in. And the moment it slipped in, the course of history changed.
In just a moment. May we never assume our moments don't matter. The decisions we make every second of every day matter. There are no little moments or little sins. There is a domino affect to it all.
Today is a new day. A new chance to set things going in a different direction. Joseph's brothers had years to try and rescue Joseph - find out where he was - help him - set their past mistakes right.
Moments matter. Watch for a moment today where you are given the choice to let anger, envy or something else negative slip in. Recognize it. Refute it. And replace it with God's spirit of love. ~ L. Terkeurst
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