The Heart that is Misunderstood

“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons” (Acts 7:23-29).

As Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace, his mind was filled up with the wisdom of Egypt but his heart was consumed with a love for His Hebrew brothers and sisters. The Lord was at work, establishing Moses as a leader… “And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7:22), but not everyone acknowledged his leadership... “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” (Acts 7:27). God was indeed preparing Moses for an important mission that would require him to become an effective servant leader. It was going to take time, about 40 years of wilderness preparation, but today we see Moses learning his first leadership lesson. The heart of a servant leader is often the heart that is misunderstood.

The servant leader’s heart is cultivated by grace. Despite the comfort and opulence of palace life, Moses never forgot the way God protected and provided for him at the very beginning of his life. He probably often wondered why me? He could not deny that God’s hand of blessing rested upon him and was constantly working in him, setting him apart from Egyptians and Hebrews alike, and preparing him for something special. He was living in the lap of Egyptian luxury but he was not comfortable with it. That’s what God’s grace does in all disciples of Jesus Christ… “For the grace of God has appeared… training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). God’s grace is cultivating our hearts to live in a fallen world without becoming part of it, keeping our hearts focused on Jesus Christ and the glory to come… “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Others do not understand, but growing disciples know that God uses the trials of today to prepare us for eternity as our hearts are cultivated by His grace.

The servant leader’s heart is compelled by mercy. When Moses became a man, “it came into his heart” to come to the defense of an oppressed Hebrew brother. Despite the insulation of palace life and luxury, Moses’ heart was still sensitive and responsive to the leading of God, who had great compassion for His children… “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings” (Exodus 3:7). God’s compassion compelled Him to forgive the sins of His children and deliver them from their oppression, even though they did not deserve such mercy, and in Moses God found a mercy-filled and compassion-driven heart like His own… “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Like Moses, we can be a reflection of God’s forgiveness to others if our heart is compelled by mercy.

The servant leader’s heart is contrite and humble. When Moses was misunderstood and rejected by his Hebrew brother, his heart was broken and he ran. We can be encouraged here by the truth that God does not require a perfect heart to serve Him. In fact, God is very present and active in the most humble and contrite heart… “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15). God followed Moses into the wilderness of Midian and kept working on his heart, and He will do the same for future servant leaders like us if we too, keep our heart contrite and humble.

As we grow up into Christ, His grace prepares us for servant leadership by forming in us…

The Heart that is Misunderstood.