Exodus 1
Remember the Boogie-Man?
Who frightens you now?
Pharaoh is frightened by the Israelites. The text says that he was afraid because they have grown too numerous and might over-power Egypt and leave. But, this sounds more like an outward expression of the truth rather than the truth itself. It seems that the truth lies in the statement, "[He] did not know Joseph". What does Pharaoh have to fear if the people of Israel (Joseph's people) are well known and therefore are treated with the same dignity and grace as any other Egyptian? If the Israelites were welcomed, treated kindly, and "known" by the Egyptians would not the scenario of war that Pharaoh fears be a non-issue? Wouldn't the Israelites go to war with Pharaoh's army, not against them? After all, if the Israelites were living with dignity and grace in Egypt a threat of war to Egypt would be a threat to them as well. But, if the truth is that Egypt is not treating the Israelites kindly, then Egypt's very own actions have isolated the Israelites into a people that have become foreign to Egypt. These unknown people, these strangers, these Israelites are now clearly not Egyptians and they threaten Pharaoh's power. But, underneath it all is that same fear we all had when we were children of the Boogie-Man, it's a very basic fear of the unknown---the stranger.
My generation might have been the last to be taught at a very young age by our parents to say hello and be polite to strangers. Our culture has completely changed. Now, we raise our kids to be afraid of strangers. We teach them to never speak to strangers. We find good reason for this all over the news and TV. But, doesn't a question rise from within us as we do this? Is the stranger really dangerous? Or, can we adults say that we have some special talent that helps us determine which strangers are dangerous and which ones aren't? Or, thinking a bit more deeply, what if the stranger we avoid this day is actually someone harmless and lonely who could benefit greatly by a simple act of kindness?
Jesus didn't teach the fear of strangers. As a matter of fact he taught just the opposite. "Do to others what you would have them do to you." In other words, treat others the same way you wish to be treated. I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb here when I assume that none of us wants to be avoided, ignored, or feared by children? Nevertheless the seeds we sow become the harvest we reap. Walk into the grocery store and take notice of how many folks are willing to actually make eye contact with you, or who are willing to offer some sort of friendly greeting. It's funny how a busy grocery store can become such a lonely place. Meanwhile the number of people who are clinically depressed or even suicidal are higher here than any place else in the world.
Pharaoh feared the Israelites because he didn't know them. Had he gotten to know them he would have realized that they were gentle, kind, godly people. Instead, his fear of them turned the Israelites into a threat for him--they became his Boogie-Man. But, what we sow becomes what we reap. As he acted with fear toward them, he turned himself into the Boogie-Man in their eyes. As we treat others with a lack of kindness, as if the stranger is the Boogie-Man, we receive the same lack of kindness in return, and we become the Boogie-Man.
It's risky to reach out with kindness to strangers. It seems even more risky in our world. But, in small ways we can change the world around us. By sowing kindness we reap kindness.
Lord God, because of my sin I was once a stranger to you, and you were once a stranger to me. But you sent Jesus to reach out with kindness and on the cross you reached out with love. You risked everything to welcome me into your kingdom. You brought me in, and I am no longer a stranger to you, nor are you to me. Give me courage today to greet others with warmth and kindness. Protect me, and shield me from danger that by my faith in you I would be free from the fear of others so that I might act kindly to strangers rather than fearfully. Let me sow kindness, that kindness may be what I reap. In Jesus' name. Amen
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