What is this going to cost me? | Exodus 2 | Crossroads Daily

My confession is I'm probably more similar to you, Chris, where like, I see injustice and I still can do that self-calculation of what's this going to cost me. And I wish that wasn't necessarily my initial response, but I think there's a part of me that always is calculating. Like, should I? What's it going to cost me? This is the Crossroads Daily. No experts, no perfect people, just honest conversations about what happens when the Bible shows up in real life. Hey, I'm Chuck. I'm Kirsten. I'm Chris. I'm Ciara. And we are in Exodus. Don't ask me why. I know, it's just, you know, new Bible, new book of the Bible. Yeah, I mean, honestly, lots of people would say Exodus is kind of the motif of the entire story of scripture. So Exodus is really, really profound. And today we're looking at kind of the painful part of Exodus at the beginning, where the Israelites are enslaved and they're dealing with injustice. And so what's your typical response when faced with injustice, either yours or someone else that you see being impacted by injustice? I black out, completely rage and just have no sense of anything going around me other than writing the injustice. I'll tell you on the small end of it, if you're into the Enneagram at all, I'm an Enneagram 8. So anything as little as not honoring a scheduled time, like if we're scheduled to meet, like respect my time and show up. But also... I mean, I was late. You were looking at Chris when you said that, he was a little bit late for this. I knew this would come back. And every minute you got further and further on my crap list. No, like one time I was going to REI and I'm walking out and a car's coming.

And there's like crosswalks everywhere, right? It's like you have places to get from your car to the store and someone's walking and a car comes and just lays on the horn, like almost hits this person. And I literally, my poor husband, I was like, hold our stuff. And I'm knocking on the window and I was like, I don't know what overcomes me, but I'm like, this is a crosswalk, like let this person like walk, stop beeping at them. You have no right. And just little things like that. I just, it was like, you are in the wrong. Feisty Kirsten. Chill out. Yes. I just have business to get done. And that is, that's one of them. So I don't know. I love, I love this because as complicated as it is, like, you know, murder's involved. I don't know. God does crazy things. So redemption in that. But I can't help but think like, man, would I be Moses? I just can't imagine when I see a fight outside of my work, I, everyone else is like, let's call someone. I'm like, I'm going to go. And I get them to stop fighting because I just can't stand by. It just is something that is like built in me. And you know what? So be it. And to encourage you though, there's a place for righteous anger. And we see that even in this story. Like God burns with anger at injustice. God is not passive. He's not like, okay. Like, you know, I think it's important for us to remember that. Because sometimes it feels like the justice perpetuates, but like God's heart toward justice is very, very clear. Right. So that's good.

That's awesome. That's a really interesting, I was talking about this with my mentor the other day, that I feel like I try to live my life pretty balanced often and be like, you know, very Thanos-esque of like, everything's perfectly balanced. I'm like, and that's the way to life. And that's how Jesus was. And like, but he, he was like hot and cold at times. And I think the safer route outing myself is like to just have more of a balanced approach or to like only lean on one side or the other. Because it's more control in that way where you're like, I'm sticking, like, this is my stake in the ground is I'm being this kind of person. But like, there's nuance in moments of injustice where it's like, you got to be spirit led. And it's like, what does this moment call for? And like, because I can just be so like, okay, well, let's just like think about this for a long time and not jump in, not pull back. And, but Jesus is like, there was times where he rushed in, he's flipping tables. And there's other times where he's like, I need to go pray on the mountainside or like, I'm going to let these people deal with this. And so it's convicting for me that like, you got to be spirit led to know what to do in a moment and not just lean on those like, well, no, I'm this kind of person. So I always do this in this moment. That's right. Yeah. I can't imagine how much injustice Moses has already experienced up to that moment. Like he's older. Yeah. At this point. So it's like he might have just had a moment that it's like snap, you know My confession is I'm probably more similar to you Chris. We're like I see injustice and I

Still can do that self-calculation of what's this gonna cost me? Yeah, and I wish that wasn't necessarily my initial response But I think there's a part of me that always is calculating. Yeah, like Should I what's gonna cost me and it's like man I just think sometimes that keeps me from stepping into things where God has called me to Right or wrong? Yeah, you know, we're right. Yeah quickly. So yeah, that's good I really would like to see myself as a princess of peace And I think most times But when I feel anger, I'm just like this doesn't feel safe because I don't want to be impulsive But then also like you were saying I think Like the character of God like he is just and I think and like that's not always safe, you know, right? In Exodus, you know, it talks about God hearing the cries of his people And I think like whether you're experiencing injustice or if you're just in a place of suffering or difficulty It's there is something in you that wants to cry out. And so I wonder what have you learned? What Practices or even they're clumsy like hey, I try I'm trying this. Oh, it's perfect What have you learned helps you stay engaged with God when you're in a place of difficulty? Hmm, I may have I may have said this before I have learned that When I the way that I carry stress and even the way that I carry anger, I need to move Hmm in order to express it So for me if I'm in a place like that It is really helpful for me to walk and talk to God not just get on my knees or be quiet But like actually move and sometimes I'm yelling at God. Sometimes I'm just screaming sometimes I'm just whatever but I need to let it out and let it dissipate to the point where then I can have wiser Better grounded responses to the situation. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think I have to take Literal inventory of all the things I feel like are working against me. Like I feel like I doubt The Lord and and his purposes for me like I have heard From God not audibly but through circumstances and scripture like this is where I'm taking you and I'm like, okay I believe in that I hope in that and then I doubt when I don't get enough sleep when Something bad happens at work when a friend is mean to me and then it's like usually all within

48 hours and you're like and then you just start acting out and and I think Taking inventory. I'm being like, oh all of these things are it's kind of like an equation like this plus this times this equals a negative version of me that is doubting and angry or whatever and when I can kind of lay it all out and Make it feel more real why I'm feeling that way and almost validate it and take it to the Lord and just Be on my knees and say God I need you to do this because I can't get out of this funk on my own and then it's like Each morning is new and that is a real thing. Like every morning is is new Yeah, I think similarly mine is isolation it's it's feel so easy when there's chaos and It's just not always fruitful for me to be isolated. So yeah, yeah I'm gonna leave you this thought because this this there's a verse at the end of Exodus 2 that Really hit me powerfully on my first trip to India. I've only been in the one time so on my trip to India We're going to India for the work that Crossroads still is a part of their helping You know rescue people and from for slavery and even forced prostitution and I remember as we were flying it was a nighttime We're on the flight. We're about to be landing him and by and I just remember this heaviness coming over me And I was just like God why? Why do you allow this injustice? Like all these these are kids like and I was really in the plane wrestling with what we're about to experience and Exodus 2 24 came to mind. I want to read it to you. It says and God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob Jacob God saw the people of Israel and God knew and The thing that God really struck me with and I think this is important if you're in a place of suffering all those verbs God hears the cries of the suffering he remembers the commitment he has he sees and he knows and Man for me that helped lower my temperature and I Pray that that can lower your temperature. If you're in a place of suffering or struggle today, know that the God of the universe sees you, he hears you, he remembers you, and he knows you.

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