Exodus 34:1 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.”
God gave the Ten Commandments, He wrote them with His finger. This was all divine. However, He did ask Moses to contribute. He was to cut out and bring the blank tablets. The Hebrews were the labor for the pyramids and all sorts of carved stone structures. Moses was part of the Egyptian royal class. While he probably wasn’t experienced in cutting stone, he saw it done on numerous occasions.
God wants to touch people. He can and does directly, but He often uses people to touch people. He wants us to have a part. This is good on many levels. How wonderful that we are part of The Lord and sons. We are partners with Him. There is a certain pride that comes with affiliation. He wants us to feel accomplished. Not that we are to take credit, but we did have a part.
God wants us to be honored for our part. This is not a common teaching in our faith. Some see it as arrogant. Ps 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor.” It is not spiritual to belittle ourselves. Romans 12:3 says, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; ; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” We are to have a certain amount of esteem. Not too much, but certainly not too little. Moses had a part and he didn’t hide it.
This is where faith and psychology merge. Psychology realizes the importance of self esteem. Here our faith is saying something similar. God gave Moses a job. He is free to say to others what he did. He isn’t taking credit for the writing or the originating of them. However, he cut out the tablets. So, God will use us. We can tell others. We don’t have to clarify that we aren’t taking credit. That’s clumbsy. Also, we aren’t to take credit. Be an accurate witness and tell the story. God wants to honor us.
Lord, thank You that You want to honor us. Help us to be comfortable with that. Allow those experiences to give us an accurate view of ourselves.