But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. Exodus 14:13
If you’re a dad, being a good one is a tough job. Given a choice, every dad would prefer being liked by his family. “Dad, you’re the greatest” feels a lot better than
“You’re the only dad who is saying no!”
Unfortunately, many times in the life of a family, Dad would come in dead last in his kids’ “Dad of the Year Sweepstakes.” Leadership can be like that. If being applauded by the family—or your work colleagues—for every decision was the goal, then there would never be a “Please sit up straight at the table,” “You will not speak to your little brother like that,” “Yes, we are going to church. Church is something we do as a family,” or “That report is due today.” Chaos would replace order, and in the long run, Dad would be charged with leaving his post.
So, either way, we’re going to take a hit on this one—unpopular because we’ve been tough or guilty of not doing our jobs. As I said, being a dad or an effective leader is not an easy job.
Poor Moses. Following God’s guidance carefully, he has just been personally responsible for the release of more than two million Jews from captivity. That’s no small job. But now these people—his family—are being squeezed between the Red Sea and the entire Egyptian army. And they’re upset with Moses. “How could you have done this to us?” and “This is all your fault,” they moan.
And don’t you know that Moses was frustrated and angry at his family? “After all I’ve done for you, all you do is complain?” Sound familiar?
Today’s verse is a keeper. In fact, it might be worth jotting this one down and putting it on the mirror where you shave. Moses stands in front of his people, and he gives them a little talk: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today” (v. 13).
Moses’s confident response begs a question, doesn’t it? Given what looked like the ultimate rock-and-a-hard-place situation, how could he possibly have been so sure? The answer lies in the chapters leading up to this amazing story. Moses had kept in constant contact with the Lord. Long before Moses gave instructions to his family, he had discussed them thoroughly with his heavenly Father. Moses’s assurance didn’t come from having read the latest in motivational literature. It came from God Himself.
This might be a “best-dad-in-the-world” day at your house. Your children may kneel at their beds tonight and thank God for giving them such a world-record-holding father. Your colleagues may wonder how they got so lucky to work with someone as bright as you. Or maybe not to any of the above.
The secret to your success as a man or a dad does not depend on how pleased your coworkers or children are with your decisions. Your achievement doesn’t depend on you at all. The key is who is calling the shots for you.