Exodus 32:21, “[Moses] said to Aaron, ‘What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”, vs 24, So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” vss 30-35, The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” 33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Have you ever been pressured into doing something? Whether it was pulling a prank on the playground or compromising your ethics in a business deal, most of us have given in to the pressure at some point. We have all felt the influence of family, friends, classmates, or co-workers on our actions and words. While Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments, Aaron, his second-in-command, caved under the Israelite’s demands to make “gods to go before [them]” and forged a golden calf for them to worship. Then he blamed the situation on “how prone these people are to evil.” But Moses cut to the truth of the matter! He flipped the script and asked what caused Aaron to lead the Israelites into such great sin. Talk about a curveball! Gulp! If you have the light of Christ in you, you are a spiritual leader. Not only should you stand firm against pressure to disobey God, but you can actively influence others to do the same. No matter your day-to-day routine, you can be a difference-maker, someone shining the way towards righteousness. Where are your decisions leading others to go? Prayer: Dear Lord, Help me to stand firm for You against the sinful pressures of the world. Thank You for Your strength in the face of adversity! May my focus today and every day be on how I can be an example to others in my daily walk with You. I ask your blessing on the cup of blessing and the bread of life as I partake. Amen!