Exodus: Fear as a Motivator
By Pam Detwiler
We all have fear; fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of death, fear of being alone, fear of the dark… Some of our fears exist to keep us safe. When we are afraid, we react (act) by fight or flight. But what happens when our fears are not based in present danger?
As humans, we are designed to take in information (data) and find patterns. Unfortunately, we often make decisions and respond (act) based on incomplete information. We feed our own baseless fears in light of our perceptions of reality.
Exodus chapters 1-5 focuses on three main characters: the new king of Egypt, the Egyptian midwives, and Moses.
The Pharaoh feared the Israelites because they outnumbered the Egyptians and could easily join the enemy to defeat them. The Pharaoh enlisted the midwives to kill the newborn sons of the Israelites.
The Egyptian midwives feared God because they knew the Israelites were God’s chosen people. The midwives refused to kill the newborn sons because they feared (respected) God.
Moses feared falling short of what God needed in a leader. Moses asked God to send someone else in his place and eventually used Aaron as God’s mouthpiece.
What is your greatest fear? How does this fear motivate you in negative and positive ways?
