DYNAMIC DUOS: Miriam and Moses
Exodus 2:1-10 NRSV
Pastor Patti, Sept. 10, 2017 St. Paul’s UMC / Sept. 17, 2017 Covenant
Laverne & ______
Laurel & ______
Beavis & ______
Thelma & (Louise)
Penn & (Teller)
Sonnie & (Cher)
I could go on and on…
Bonnie & (Clyde)
Fred Astaire & (Ginger Rogers)
Cagney & (Lacey)
Hans Solo & (Chewbacca)
Scooby Doo & (Shaggy)
Batman & Robin…the original dynamic duo
Batman. Bruce Wayne. His parents were murdered when he was just a boy. Bruce determined he would work to get rid of the bad guys. He traveled the world to gain skills to fight crime. He traveled to Asia and learned martial arts. He traveled to Paris, and learned to track people and blend into the shadows. He learned to escape, fly, disguise, drive. He returned to Gotham, and after a few less-than-successful attempts, devised a method and persona that intimidated criminals. He set out on his mission to fight crime in Gotham City as Batman. Along the way, he picked up a sidekick, Robin. Dick Grayson was a young acrobat in the circus. His parents were killed when trapeze equipment was sabotaged. He worked with Bruce Wayne to solve the crime. And Bruce Wayne took him in. Thus, Dick Grayson became the alter ego, and Robin was born, the Boy Wonder.
Robin is a bit like James Bond—over the years many played the role. There were 6 Robins. All worked alongside Batman to help fight crime in Gotham City. Robin provided youthful optimism, energy, and exuberance. He has always kept Batman from becoming too dark. And they became known as the Dynamic Duo.
What makes them a dynamic pair? They are better together than separate.
Some heroes work alone. Super Man. Others in groups.Charlie’s Angels. LOL Many in duos. There are many dynamic duos in the Old Testament, pairs who are more powerful together than they are apart. Some are siblings, while others are husband and wife, friends, in-laws. All kinds of combinations. We will be exploring these dynamic duos over the next few weeks. And to prepare for this series, Sami and I tapped into our dynamic duo power. Sami carried me up the Capitol steps.
Did you know she is a power lifter!?! She could bench press me! We haven’t tried that yet!
Enough of all that. Today we are focusing on Miriam and Moses. Their story starts In Exodus 2 when Miriam is a little girl and Moses is just an infant. Actually, their story starts before that. Genesis ends and Joseph is dead. All his descendent live in Egypt as a result of that famine. They multiply. Over 400 years pass. The Israelites became numerous and strong. A particularly evil Pharaoh rises to power. He feels threatened by the sheer number of these foreigners. And he sets out a decree commanding that all Israelite baby boys be thrown into the Nile River to die. Then Moses is born. The tension in the story rises. He should be thrown into the Nile, left for dead.
Exodus 2:1-10 NRSV
2Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.2The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months.3When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river.4His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
5The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it.6When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said.7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother.9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it.10When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses,“because,” she said, “I drew him outof the water.”
Miriam is a clever little girl, whose quick thinking and action leads her not only to save the life of Moses, but also to finagle that he is raised by his very own mother. And she gets paid to raise her own son! But their story doesn’t end there.
You may remember Moses grows up and sees the burning bush. God calls him to go save his people, demanding Pharaoh let his people go. Moses is a reluctant leader. He gives God all kinds of excuses, so God surrounds him with people to help. His brother Aaron becomes his spokesperson. And Miriam also partners with them. And, so the duo becomes a trio.After Moses successfully leads the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, they stop and celebrate. Moses sings a song. And then Miriam grabs a tambourine and leads dancing and singing with the women. She is called a prophetess. She has become a key leader.
Then, later on, both Aaron and Miriam become jealous of their younger brother, Moses. They judge him and put him down. God has to step in. The Lord summons all three siblings out to the tent of meeting. Can you imagine that walk? Out to the tent of meeting, summoned by God? Yikes! Once there, God’s anger burns against Aaron and Miriam, and when God leaves, Miriam is left with leprosy. Aaron sees it and is afraid. He points it out to Moses. Moses immediately pleads with God, “Please Lord, heal her!” And God does. Miriam is healed.
Where would Moses be without Miriam? Dead in the bottom of the Nile. Miriam advocated for her brother Moses, protecting his very life.
Where would Myriam be without Moses? Dead from disease. Moses advocated for his sick sister, Miriam, asking God to spare her and heal her.
They advocated for one another.They had each other’s backs. They stood up for one another.
Now, I have to admit, I wracked my brain these pasts several weeks trying to think of a time I stood up for my little brother. I couldn’t think of a single time! I think I was too busy bossing him around! I am the older sister, after all. I suspect Miriam had her moments bossing Moses around. But Miriam and Moses stood up for one another.
Let me say, while we are playing up the superhero angle, none of these Old Testament characters are flawless. None of them are particularly “hero” material. Moses was a murderer. Miriam undermined her brother. They are unlikely heroes. But, if you notice, that is the way God has chosen to operate in this world. God chooses unlikely people to do incredible things. So don’t hold back. Step up and let God use you. Be an advocate.
Some of us are in a position to advocate in big, significant, community, and life changing ways. Legally, politically, medically, socially, etc. And that is awesome! I was interested to read that in the Myers-Briggs personality profiles, there is a personality type that is called The Advocate, INFJ. However, these personalities are very rare—less than 1% of the population! We need to cheer these people on! But we can’t all wait around for an INFJ to show up on the scene and advocate for us or for those in need. That’s like waiting for Batman and Robin to show up! However, if you are not an INFJ, then you are not off the hook. We all can be advocates in our circles of influence. We can all stand up for our brother or sister, parent or child, colleague or neighbor, or brother or sister in Christ.
Sometimes we feel like we are all alone, floating in a basket, crying, in the Nile River. We just need to be assured that there is someone looking out for us, that there is someone on our side. Moses was a helpless baby, a victim of an evil dictator, at the mercy of a princess who chose compassion over law abiding fear. And a sister, who with quick thinking and boldness, stepped forward and manipulated the situation so her brother could be nursed and cared for by his own mother, and she even got paid for it! Sometimes advocacy requires a little bit of rebelliousness, boldness, creativity, and quick thinking!
Other times, we are guilty, suffering the consequences of our own choices and actions, like Miriam and her leprosy. Even then, we need to know someone believes in us, that we are not alone, that we are not defined by our poor choices. We need an advocate like Moses, to plead with the Lord on our behalf, “Please heal her!” Sometimes advocacy requires that we show compassion and grace to a guilty person, that we offer love, with humility and care as we speak up for someone.All of us,each of us, have opportunities to advocate for others, to speak up for another, and to have their back. Who in your life needs to know he or she is not alone? Whether they are an innocent baby or a guilty person, stand up for them. Show love and compassion. Be bold and rebellious. Because everyone is worthy. Everyone is valuable, cherished in the eyes of God.
I recently read a book recommended by my daughter, Amanda, called Tattoos on the Heart. It tells the story of Gregory Boyle, a parish priest in a poor area of Los Angeles, at the Delores Mission Church. The whole book tells story after story of advocacy for the youth on the streets. I chose one story to share with you today (p. 28-31). I’m cleaning it up for this audience today!
Gregory tells the story; One day I receive a phone call in my office around 3 in the afternoon.It’s from a 25 year old homie named Cesar. I have known him most of his life. I remember meeting him when he was a little boy in Pico Gardens during the earthquake of 1987, when the projects had become a tent city. Cesar was one of many kids seeking reassurance from me. “Are we gonna be ok? Is this the end of the world?” I spent every evening of those 2 weeks walking the tents, reassuring people.
He’s calling me today because he has just finished a 4 year stint in prison. He had joined a local gang. At this point Cesar had been locked up more often than not. We chat on the phone, It’s good to be out—I’d love to see ya---let me just cut to the chase, he says. You know I just got outta the pinta and don’t really have a place to stay. Right now I’m staying with a friend in his apartment, away from the projects and homies. I don’t got no clothes. Can you help me?
Sure son, I say. It’s 3 now, I’ll pick you up after work at 6. I drive to his apartment and I take him to JC Penney’s and tell him he can get $200 worth of clothes. He does his shopping and I return him back to his apartment. He becomes quiet and vulnerable, like that child displaced by the earthquake. “I just don’t want to go back, I’m scared, he confesses.
Look son, I say to him, who’s got a better heart than you! And God is at the center of that great big ol heart. Hang on to that. We say our goodbyes.
At 3 o'clock in the morning the phone rings. It’s Cesar. Did I wake you? Cesar is sober and urgent. I gotta ask you a question. You know how I’ve always seen you as my father – ever since I was a little kid? Well, I hafta ask. … with a shaky voice, “Have I been your son?”
“Oh yeah!” I say.
Whew, he says. Then he says gently sobbing, “Then I will be your son…and you will be my father and nothing will separate us, right?”
That’s right.Gregory had Cesar’s back. The important thing about that late night phone call was not the realization that he had a father; it was the realization that he was a son worthy of being loved.
That is what advocacy is—letting people know they are loved. And that is our job—to advocate for others. To let people know they are loved. And that is a worthwhile pursuit for the inner superhero in all of us!