A Trio of Bios

Recently, I was tasked with providing a bio. In seventy words, I had to describe myself. It caused me to take a hard look at the question, what exactly makes me, me? Is it simply the accumulation of my name, my family, and my occupation rounded out with what I like, what I’ve accomplished, and a few weaknesses? If limited to 100 words, how would you describe yourself to those around you? It forces you to be succinct and focus on only the really important details. Moses has a lot of information that he is trying to convey in the book of Exodus, so it begins in this succinct, focused way. This recent request in my personal life has caused me to look at Exodus chapter 3 and 4 from a new atperspective, as a trio of contrasting bios.

Oh, the things God teaches him as they meet. God is revealing himself to Moses. God’s own bio to Moses would read like this…

I am a holy fire that knows my People, intervenes for them, but does not consume them. I am a God who comes, who sends, and who delivers. I will send you, you will face your fears, and conquer them because I will remain with you. You will be victorious because I AM! My name will be remembered. Not only will I bring forth deliverance, but I am also a God who will lead you for all your days and teach you to trust my promises.

Moses is so wrapped up in pain and fear that he cannot see God’s purposes for him. Moses’s own bio about Moses would read like this…

Who am I to be your chosen deliverer? I didn’t fit in as I lived amongst the Egyptians. I don’t speak eloquently. My speech is slow, and I don’t know what to say. I am a murderer who fled, not a rescuer and certainly not a leader. What I have to say is ignored by the Hebrews and irrelevant to them, anyways. Why would they listen to me now? They didn’t before. What would I say to convince them? I have finally found contentment. Please don’t make me go back.

Oh, the things God teaches him as they meet, God is also revealing the authentic Moses to Moses. God’s bio on Moses would read like this…

You are my fine, beautiful son delivered from the water in order to bring deliverance for my people. You are not out of place, without a home, you have always belonged to me. I was equipping you in the house of Egypt. I am equipping you in the wilderness to become my servant. You ask, “who am I?” Your heart looked towards the plight of my people, and you intervened for them, a man made to rescue and protect. You were knit together and have been prepared to be my appointed representative, prince, prophet, lawgiver, judge, and deliverer.

God gives him multiple layers of affirmation, indicating to Moses as he obeys that he did indeed, hear well from God, and it transformed him. The Moses who led the people in the wilderness was not the same man who stood before God in these introductory chapters. Doesn’t it make you want to cry out, “God change me like you changed Moses.”? I completed that bio and it consisted of my family, my occupation, where I live, and a few other personal details, but it didn’t contain the details of God’s purposes and plans for my life nearly enough, how he specifically knit me together. After reading these chapters in Exodus, I realize that the beauty of my story was missing. As I consider a bio with God as the author of it, the change is dramatic…

I accept you even when you feel like no one else does. You have value and worth as my child. You don’t need to seek them on your own. I have been equipping you to bring to me your authentic self and teaching you that transformation comes though asking. I will send you back to the source of your pain, and your fear, but I will be with you in it, and you will be victorious. It doesn’t matter that you struggle to communicate because I’m not asking you to speak fancy words. I want you to share your heart. You will share with the world that I desire authentic hearts over perfect ones and that transformation is something I do for you not something I expect from you.