God saw to it that the Egyptians liked the people. Also, Moses was greatly admired by the Egyptians, a respected public figure among both Pharaoh’s servants and the people at large. Exodus 11:2-3 (TM)

The other day I was training some folks for a client and we took a simple personality test. I’ve taken this test and many other personality tests over the years, but each time I take it I’m always reminded anew how God made me. For example, my personality gives me the tendency to be a people pleaser. Looking back, I can see how that part of my personality has affected me – both positively and negatively – on life’s journey.

One of the lessons I’ve had to learn as "a pleaser" is that I shouldn’t try to make people like me. I always end up becoming something other than who I am, and then whatever relationship develops is built on a foundation of deception. I’ve had to learn to be who God made me to be and be content with that – even if that means there are certain people who don’t particularly like me.

In the process of giving up trying to make others like me, I learned that I could trust God to grant me favor with those to whom He wanted me to have favor, just has He granted Moses favor with the Egyptians. And, if there is a Pharaoh in my life who stubbornly wants nothing to do with me – I can trust God with that, too.

Pharaoh called in Moses: "Go and worship God. Leave your flocks and herds behind. But go ahead and take your children."  Exodus 10:24 (TM)

Faith is not a negotiation. Our relationship with God is not like the process of coming to terms on a long-term contract.

Picture you and your agent in the bargaining room with God:

Agent: Okay, Big Guy, let’s get down to business here. By the way, I like the bright shiny thing you got going there. That whole glorious glow look – it’s fabulous. Works for you. I’m just saying. Now, as for this faith contract. We like the eternal life stuff – the heaven clause – we’d like to keep that, of course. Love, joy and peace we like as well. That’s boiler-plate. Do unto others, yada, yada, yada, that’s all fine. Now, faith is something we can live with, but come on, there’s got to be some addendums added here. No moving to Africa. No asking to give up worldly possessions. No vows of poverty or, certainly not chastity. My client won’t stand for any of that. I’ve attached a list. That’s what we don’t like in the faith department, however, faith that you’ll come through in tough times, faith that you’ll heal any disease, faith that you’ll give good return on the investment – those are fine. That reminds me, while we’re on the investment issue, we want a five percent tithe. No one gives ten percent anymore. That’s so yesterday. You don’t have that kind of bargaining power anymore. So, let’s nail this faith stuff down, Big Guy, or my client ain’t signing. And by the way, the whole "take up your cross" and "lay down your life" clause is out. Period. We won’t budge on that. And, let’s face it God. Can I just say this? You need my client on the team. You may not know it sitting up here on your glorious throne in the sky box, but people on the streets are talking. You’re out of touch. Just look at you. You’re team is losing. Your starters are old and got nothin’ left in the tank. You’ve got nobody, and I mean nobody, on the bench. Your clubhouse is a mess. It’s no secret that your teams spends more time bickering with each other than playing the other team. You’re outnumbered on the field. Islam is kicking your butt in the draft. The odds of you even making it to the post-season are slim to none. Snowballs chance in hell, if you’ll pardon the expression. Big Guy, come on, seriously, let’s be real – you need my client on the team. You’re in no position to make demands here.

I know it’s silly, but as I think about it I realize that I try to negotiate with God all the time – just like Pharaoh. Yet, like the story of the Exodus, God doesn’t negotiate terms. We are simply asked to obey. He is, after all, well, you know…God.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and jk5854

But Pharaoh stayed stubborn. He wouldn’t release the people. Exodus 9:7 (TM)

Am I maturing or am I just getting older?

As I stand on this stretch of life’s road, I can look back and think of those whom I have watched walking the final leg of their journeys; I’m struck by the differences I’ve seen. I’ve watched modern day Pharaohs – proud, stubborn, and petulant. They finish life’s journey as much a self-centered, strong-willed child as when they were toddlers.

I have watched others who are constantly maturing, growing, developing. Even in the last stages of their life you can see the rough edges of their character being sanded off. With each step of the journey they are changing. Pride, selfishness, and stubborness gives way to humility, love, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

I want to be the latter. My birthday is next week. I’m getting older (not old, mind you, just getting older). My thoughts are shifting. My perspectives are changing. I can feel it. I pray that from this day to my final step I am maturing, growing and developing. I hope that the depth and intimacy of my relationship with God and my loved ones is greater with each passing day – until I reach the journey’s end.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and foxkat

But when Pharaoh saw that he had some breathing room, he got stubborn again and wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron. Just as God had said. Exodus 8:15 (TM)

When I was about ten years old my older twin brothers were in high school. There was a group of high school girls who liked my brothers and would regularly stop by our house to see if my brothers were around. My brothers were rarely there. So, these high school girls would stop to talk and dote on me – the "cute little brother." Being an impressionable, girl-crazy boy, I fell in love with all the attention I was getting. I can still remember summer evenings sitting on my Schwinn Sting-Ray five-speed bike (complete with the banana seat) literally praying that "the girls" would stop by to talk to me. My pitiful prayers were the bargaining desperation of a child:

"Please God. Pleeeeeeeeeease. Make them stop by. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll [enter any number of hollow promises here]. Just pleeeeeeeeeease make them drive by."

I may have grown up, but if you’d listened to my prayers through the years you could easily argue that I may not have matured all that much. I know that there have been plenty of times in life when I’ve bargained with God in prayer. "Do this for me and I’ll [enter any number of hollow promises here] for you."

It’s easy to look down my nose at hard-hearted Pharaoh for not keeping his promises to let the Israelites do their thing, but to see the speck of Egyptian dust in Pharaoh’s eye I’ve got to ignore the big ol’ Iowa Oak branch in my own. How many promises have I made to God through the years and then reneged on those promises – even when God blessed me and answered my prayer? Just kidding, God – but thanks for the blessing anyway!

God, I’m more like Pharaoh than I care to admit. Forgive me.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Katie Tegtmeyer