You may be familiar with the axiom, “You either have big PROBLEMS and a little god or little problems and a big GOD.” It’s all a matter of perspective. While it’s an easy thing to say, it’s a much harder thing to live…especially when you’re leading in a crisis.
Moses understood the overwhelming feeling of despair and inadequacy when God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. In Exodus 6:29 God addresses Moses, saying, “I am God. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I say to you.” But Moses, full of fear and insecurity, shot right back, “Look at me. I stutter. Why would Pharaoh listen to me?” (Exodus 6:30).
Have you ever felt that way? God prompts you to do something and your immediate default button is to remind God of all of the reasons why His idea is a bad idea. Shaking your head you say, “Look at me.” You do your best to draw God’s attention to everything that’s wrong with you…your lack of talent, resources, skill, and good looks.
But I love God’s response to Moses. When Moses says, “Look at me…” God doesn’t waste a minute and fires right back: “Look at me” (Exodus 7:1). And then He proceeds to tell Moses,
“I’ll make you as a god to Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to speak everything I command you, and your brother Aaron will tell it to Pharaoh. Then he will release the Israelites from his land. At the same time I am going to put Pharaoh’s back up and follow it up by filling Egypt with signs and wonders. Pharaoh is not going to listen to you, but I will have my way against Egypt and bring out my soldiers, my people the Israelites, from Egypt by mighty acts of judgment. The Egyptians will realize that I am God when I step in and take the Israelites out of their country.”
God knows how to put things in perspective. When we’re crying, “Look at me,” God is quick to shoot back, “No! You look at me.” You can’t put your problems in perspective until you take your eyes off your problems and put them squarely on God. Then you’ll understand how God responds to your problems. So the next time you’re tempted to wallow in your insecurities, inadequacies, inabilities, and inferiority, step into the shadow of God. Be reminded of how big God really is. Let God’s still small voice speak three big words: “Look at me.”
Question: In what area of your life is God saying, “Look at me.”
