Exodus 1:8 to 2:10; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:3-20

Last Sunday we read in the book of Genesis of how Joseph offered his Father and brothers the land of Goshen, so they could move into Egypt. This is how Israel came to Egypt as Pharaoh’s honored guest. This Sunday the Liturgical Calendar changes from the book of Genesis to Exodus and as soon as we open the book of Exodus, we feel a struggle. A struggle we will fine in the whole book: The struggle between fear versus compassion and trust.

We have a new Pharaoh, a change of dynasty in Egypt. This new ruler does not know Joseph; he does not know Israel is a friend, a guest of honor. This new Pharaoh fears how big Israel is and becomes paranoid and orders the increase of their workload and the slaughtered of their male children. I would like to make something clear because of the times we are living; fear is good, fear is an alert, a red light; fear tells us when danger is present. Fear, we can say is healthy. We do not let our little children swim or cook unattended because we fear what might happen. When we do so, we are acting as responsible parents. However, when fear drives our lives and becomes the steam engine of all our actions; when fear is blinding our ability to make good and wise decisions, then is not healthy anymore. It becomes consuming. It consumes us. And, often, like in Pharaoh’s case it will consume others too.

Compassion and trust are the elements fighting the good fight against fear in our story today. Compassion and trust are found in all five women in our story; Shiphrah and Puah showed compassion when they did not kill the children; they also showed trust when they risked their own lives disobeying Pharaoh’s orders because they feared God. Trust and compassion counterattacked Pharaoh’s fear. Besides these two women we have Pharaoh’s own daughter, Moses’ mother, and sister. These five women without planning it or agreeing it they conspired against Pharaoh’s evil forces. Everyone in different ways with their acts of compassion and trust changed not only their lives and Israel’s history, but the whole world’s history as well, when through them, God protected the life of Mosses the liberator to Israel, and through Israel God gave us the Messiah, the Savior of the World.

  In our story, five women took what seemed to be small gestures, now considered heroic acts. They disobeyed, they got into “good trouble” and because of their act of disobedience, God was able to rescue Israel from oppression. This act of trust and compassion begun with two almost unknown women Shiphrah and Puah, continued with a mother who hid her son, a sister who watched and a daughter who disobeyed her evil father.

          What lessons we can learn from this story? We can learn at least three lessons:

First, the same lesson Pharaoh learned: when we react before fear, we destroy not only ourselves but also others. Pharaoh’s reaction to fear caused Egypt to suffer; brought death not only to his family but also over all families in his country. When fear controls our decisions it becomes a very destructive weapon.

Second, compassion and trust build better persons and better societies.

The five women of our story did not know it –and maybe never did- but they were breaking the grounds for a new nation; they were setting the bases for the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. With their simple act of civil disobedience, God’s power and will were moving. Compassion and trust my sisters and brothers, are two highways over which the will of God moves at high speed. 1 John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

I know that in today’s world we have many reasons to be afraid; what we do not have is an excuse to let fear control our lives. When I think in events that could bring fear to our lives, I always remember a young girl maybe 12- or 14-years old pledge to be married found out that she was pregnant. That was a good reason to feel fear, but then an angel, a messenger from the Lord came and told her “do not be afraid you have found favor with the Lord.” In other words, do not be afraid, God is with you. After this she was not afraid anymore, love for God, willingness to obey and trust drove fear out of her life.

 And what about Jesus’ disciples? they were fighting a storm in the Lake of Galilee. Jesus came walking over the waters and told them “take courage it is I. Do not be afraid.” Their fear was casted away by Jesus’ presence. In all these stories Trust was the element in common.  

 Third lesson we can learn is, everything we do will have a ripple effect. This ripple effect will be either positive or negative, in favor of God’s plan or against.

 How can we be sure that everything we do will be positive and part of God’s plan? When whatever we do, we do it out of love and not of fear. Listen to 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” Paul is telling us to be on guard because even without knowing it we can do things out of fear. Paul reminds us to stand firm in faith. This means we have to believe that what God says and ask is good for us. Even if sometimes “the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea and its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” as psalm 46 says. If those moments come to your life, stand firm and do not fear because “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear.”

 Be courageous and strong Paul told the church in Corinth. It is not easy to be strong and courageous when things are against us, Moses knew it, the midwives knew it; the prophets from the Old Testament knew it; Jesus disciples knew it; we know it. It needs trust but brothers and sisters is the best we can do. Therefore, be courageous and strong.

Let me finish reading Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”     

          Remember every little act of love and compassion will have great results in your life and the lives of others. Shiphrah and Puah, Moses’ mother and sister and Pharaoh’s daughter are proof of this.