By Tammy Lindle Lewis, Disciple and Priesthood Formation Project Manager

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live.
The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him.

Humans begin resisting early in life. Children learn early to resist doing something they don’t want to do. We delay doing schoolwork, cleaning, starting a project, or having difficult conversations. Our actions are mostly self-serving, but at some point, we begin to shift our focus beyond ourselves as we notice unjust circumstances affecting others and creation.

Today’s passage tells of women working creatively to resist injustice. Hebrew midwives disobey Pharoah’s order to kill the Hebrew slaves’ male babies at birth. As a result, God blesses them.

A mother and sister work secretly to save baby Moses. They surrender their beloved child to be raised by another mother. Out of compassion, Pharoah’s daughter colludes to save Moses, defying Pharoah’s order. She raises this Hebrew child as her son. Moses grows up believing he is Egyptian royalty, unaware of his heritage and the tremendous sacrifice of his birth mother and sister. God blesses Moses, and through him, God frees the Hebrew slaves.

Each woman resisted injustice and oppression, risking herself to circumvent an evil situation. Their actions testify to compassion and courage; small, significant actions saved lives and helped free people in bondage changing the course of history.

Remembering and repeating the words of the Mission Prayer is easy. Yet, this risky prayer calls us to attentive action. How might this prayer become different if we altered the words to ask specifically to become aware of injustice around us?

God, open my eyes to injustice.
Help me clearly see systems of oppression around me.
Grant me courage to practice creative resistance.
Multiply my actions to become a blessing of your justice and peace.
Amen.

Prayer Phrase

“Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

Spiritual Hunger

Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.