When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. (Acts 7:23-24)
God put a dream in Moses’ heart to rescue the Israelites. He became angry when he saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite, so Moses rescued him. The problem was Moses became angry and vengeful and didn’t consult God. He killed the Egyptian.
Acting out of anger caused Moses to become a murderer. He hid from the Egyptians for forty years by becoming a shepherd in the land of Midian. God couldn’t use him until the Egyptians and Israelites forgot about what he had done. God didn’t give up on Moses or change his calling, but the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt was delayed forty years. Did you know that Moses was eighty years old when he led the Israelites out of Egypt?
James gives great advice: “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:19-20) When you’re angry, bite your tongue, clasp your hands, and pray for the Holy Spirit to calm you and enable you to speak with love.
Father God, I praise you for giving me the power and wisdom of Your Holy Spirit, so I can change. Jesus was gentle with his words and never struck another even when being tortured. Help me become more like him, so You can use me to help others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.