"Cherish the lowliest thought you choose of yourself, but
unite it with the loftiest conception of God's All-
Sufficiency. Self-depreciation may lead to the marring of a
useful life. We must think soberly of ourselves, not too
lowly, as not too extravagantly. The one talent must not be
buried in the earth."- F. B. Meyer, Devotional Commentary on Exodus, p. 71

To some degree, every American Christian is a Moses. Not the miracle working, stubborn prophet Moses, but the before the burning bush Moses. The Moses of Egypt. The Moses that murdered (Exodus 2). Like Moses, we have been raised in a nation that offers us the best in education and civilization. As a part of Pharaoh's household Moses was offered the best of everything. I believe that Moses understood that God had placed him in a unique position to help his people. Note that the writer of Hebrews acknowledges the faith of Moses in Egypt long before his call at the burning bush (Heb. 11:24-27).

The murdering Moses, I believe, was a man of faith that had become so certain that he knew how God would use him that he trusted in the skills and blessings God gave him instead of trusting in God. Moses believed that God intended him to be a "ruler and judge" of the Hebrews (2:14), but he did not wait for God so his sincere desire to use his abilities to serve God's people led him to be arrogant, selfish, and immoral. Our sin nature is such that even the gifts that God has given us are corrupted when we use them on our own authority. When we make ourselves the active agent in our service to God that service leads us into sin and away from God. Proper Christian service only works when we allow God to work through us and use the skills He gave us on His authority. Moses was not wrong. God would make him a judge and a ruler, and God most likely used the skills that Moses gained in Egypt to make Moses the leader that the people needed. Moses in Egypt had too high an opinion of himself and his skills, so his attempt at leadership and service was disastrous.

In Exodus 3-4 we meet a different Moses. The Moses of Midian has been humbled by his experiences. The prince of Egypt is now a shepherd. He has the right view of himself, but the wrong view of God. His failure in Egypt has led him to the conclusion that he has no skills at all and that God cannot use him. I find it hard to believe that the Moses of Egypt saw himself as a man who lacked eloquence (4:10). Once again Moses places the emphasis on himself and his skills. He has rightly concluded that he cannot accomplish anything on his own, but he wrongly believes that that God can accomplish nothing through him. Once Moses allowed God to work through him he emerged as one of the most eloquent speakers and writers in all of Scripture. God is all sufficient to accomplish His purposes. When He chooses to work through someone God can and will accomplish whatever He desires. He can make a person's lack of skills in an area irrelevant, or, as the source and granter of all ability, He will simply ensure that the chosen servant comes to possess all the necessary skills, and often he or she by the grace of God and through the Holy Spirit will come to possess these skills abundantly.

The lesson that Moses had to learn is one that we must all learn. As sinners, we are so corrupt, weak, and lowly that we can accomplish nothing good on our own. Left to our own devices we are totally useless. Even if we have properly identified the gifts that God has given us and the purpose for which he intends our life, we will find ourselves to be completely inept servants unless our total reliance is upon God. We must learn to trust in the limitless giver and not our limited gifts. All that God asks of us is to be worshiping, willing servants regardless of where, when, and how He chooses to use us. God will give us our purpose. God will do the driving. All we have to do is devote ourselves to seeking after Him and worshiping Him. Moses got nowhere until he let God take the wheel. Moses stopped trying to find the road and just trusted God to take him on a wild ride.