Faithful Living in Broken Systems

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 21, 2011
Rev. Mark R. Miller
Exodus 1:8-2:10
“Faithful Living in Broken Systems”

Egypt was broken. Pharaoh’s greed knew no bounds. His appetite for power and control led to the demonization of the very labor force which kept the empire forging ahead. Blinded by greed and fear, Pharaoh began to unravel the social contract forged by previous generations. Joseph had helped to create the empire. By getting the Israelites to sell their land and finally themselves for food, Egypt had a built-in labor force. But having a whole race of people enslaved to build the empire was not enough. He wanted more.
Through the use of an elaborate propaganda machine, the magicians of Pharaoh went to work. These slaves were no longer a benign presence. Instead, they were waiting for the right moment to rise up, join our enemies, kill all the men, and take our Egyptian woman. As this myth worked its way through the Egyptian society, any policy of elimination and control, in the name of national security, could be put into effect. Or so Pharaoh thought.
The first stage in this new national security policy was through a couple of midwives. The king summons the two head midwives and orders the killing of all Hebrew boys. This order places the midwives in a difficult place. Shiprah and Puah are on the payroll of Pharaoh. Their livelihood is at stake if not their very lives. What are they to do? These two do what they have the power to do. Direct refusal will result in death. On top of this, if they are removed then Pharaoh may bring in someone else who might do the job Pharaoh demands. So as long as they work in this broken system they will work for justice.
Instead of breaking the law deliberately, they simply bring things to a halt through a work slowdown. If they are not there at the birth, they cannot be held responsible for killing on the birth stool. The midwives may have be there right after the birth, but late enough to give themselves plausible deniability. And what is the punishment for their illegal activity? They are not fired and God rewards them with families.
When Pharaoh cannot get the professionals to do his bidding, he turns to the population. By this time the myth that the Hebrews are a threat to national security is well known and internalized. So it is the duty of every Egyptian to seek out and destroy the baby boys who are Hebrews. If you see them, kill them. The life you save may be your own! But despite the best attempts to nationalize this policy, it turns out that not everyone falls for the propaganda of the powerful.
The first people to recognize the madness, the brokenness of this system are the midwives. Fortunately, they are not the only ones. I have heard what happens next as an anomaly, a once in a lifetime happening. It is as if Moses is the only baby miraculously saved from the systematic murder of children. A mother placed the child in a basket and was so distraught about what she was doing she sends her daughter to watch the child die by drowning in the river. But I do not think this is what is going on at all. Instead, I think we are watching a prime example of what people do when the systems meant to sustain us are broken. Let me explain.
I have come to believe that what we are watching was probably common, though the outcome was not always positive. Imagine if you will, a population stunned by the brutality of its government but unable to be openly defiant. What might happen? What if there were Egyptian people who did not buy the myth and wanted to make a difference in a broken system? Instead of becoming silent and distracting themselves, they formed networks of safe houses where Hebrew people could “leave” their baby boys. These homes would then raise the children as their own. Even though they could not change the policy, they could save the children. We might be seeing an ancient form of the Underground Railroad.
With this in mind, let us turn now to the story of Moses’ sister and the king’s daughter. What is miraculous about the story is to find out that even the daughter of the king is opposed to the policy. The risks to national security do seem so threatening when faced with the baby boy. The king’s daughter does not just stand against the policy she makes sure to pay the mother of the child for the privilege of nursing her own son. In return, this child has the protection of Pharaoh’s house. While it might not have been widespread, it was probably widespread enough to save more than a few Hebrew boys.
From the midwives, to the little Hebrew girl and even Pharaoh’s daughter, we have portraits of faithful living in broken systems. Instead of complaining or believing they had no power to make change, they stood up and figured out a way to make a difference. It is quite a contrast to the law abiding citizens who toss children into the river or the taskmasters who oversee the oppressive labor policies of the empire. At the end of the day, this story really is about us and for us. What do I mean?
Every age has its pharaohs, taskmasters, and citizens who hide behind the guise of, “I am just obeying the law,” even if the law is unjust. And every age has a daughter of pharaoh or midwives or young children who are unwilling to sit idly by as people suffer and die. And if we are honest with one another we can admit that our own systems are broken. Our own politicians use fear to maintain power and enrich themselves and those bankrolling their campaigns. The same question confronts us today as it did for those back in Egypt. Will we be agents of Pharaoh or will we seek to say no to the myths of our own age? Will we stop complaining and figure out ways to live faithfully in the broken systems of our time? This is the message of this passage. This is the message of our faith. Hope is not found out there. Hope is found when we can resist with all that we have. What system are you in that needs humanizing? Let this be your calling today. Find the courage and the power to bring life. Amen? Amen!