Right Tool For The Job
If you live in the country and have ever had to work on a vehicle, tractor, or any other equipment, you have probably attempted to use a tool for a job it was not designed to do. You grab the first thing you see and try to use it as quick as possible. Before you know it, you have really messed up the job simply because you did not use the correct tool. Sometimes it is because we are too lazy to take the time to find the right tool. Sometimes it’s because we don’t own the right tool. Regardless of the reason, the right tool makes all the difference in the world. It makes the job go so much easier and more efficiently. But have you ever felt like you didn’t want to complete the job? And in an effort to get out of the work, used the excuse that you can’t complete the job because you don’t possess the right tool?
Moses tried this with God.
In Exodus chapter 3 we find Moses has fled Egypt after killing the Egyptian who was beating a Jew. God appears to Moses through the burning bush. God instructs Moses that He wants Moses to be the one to lead the Jews out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. What did Moses do? He made excuses. He raised questions to God such as “Who am I to lead these people?” and “Who do I say has sent me?”. God answered every question. God showed him signs to let Moses know that what he heard was real. He turned his staff into a snake. He gave and removed leprosy from Moses’ hand. He told Moses that He would always be with Him. No matter what God did or said, it still didn’t satisfy Moses’ anxiety. Moses continued to doubt his ability to complete the task God gave him.
Moses finally played what he thought was the trump card. He told God that he was “slow of speech, and of a slow tongue”. Basically, Moses was telling God, “Lord, I can’t talk right.” Surely that would cause God to say, “You are right Moses. How silly of me to expect you to be able to handle this job.” Moses felt like he didn’t have the tools to perform the job God had given him. What Moses found out really quick was that when God gives you a job, He gives you the tools you will need to complete the job. He does not give you a job that you are unprepared for. God told Moses, “Don’t worry, I am sending your brother Aaron with you to help you.” God left Moses with no excuse to not be submissive. He provided. Fortunately for the Jewish people, Moses finally listened.
What if Moses hadn’t submitted? Where would Israel be today? What would have been the ripple effect if Moses had made a different decision? We often tell God that we are unable to perform a job He calls us to do. We try to tell our Creator that He doesn’t understand us. If He did understand us, He would know that we are unable to perform that job. It’s too hard. It’s too expensive. It’s too time consuming. I’m not talented enough. We would rather spend all our time thinking of a reason to not perform for God instead of asking God how to complete the job presented to us. If we would simply trust in God and His abilities instead of our lack of abilities, we could accomplish so much for Him. The world would be a different place.