An Ode to the Small
An Ode to the Small
Exodus 1:17-20
But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. … So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong.
Remember that line every villain would say at the end of those old Scooby Doo episodes, right after being unmasked? “I would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids!” I wonder how many times the devil’s said those words throughout history—probably after every episode. Satan might be the ruler of this world in a temporal sense, he might be an elite with all the power and authority and connections, he might have prophets twisting God’s truth on every platform on the planet, he might have legions of scientists and politicians and media personalities trumpeting his lies, but he’s got this itty-bitty, mustard seed-sized problem: he needs the midwives of the world to carry his policies forward. He only succeeds if everyone buys in, if everyone sells out, and if just one little person out of seven billion stands up, if just one measly, insignificant, locust-eating saint starts crying out in the wilderness, the whole plot goes up in flames. And, friend, just think of all the times hell almost got away with some moral cataclysm if it weren’t for meddling children of God standing in the way. Some school teacher who feared God and said, “No—I won’t teach racial discrimination and sexual perversion to my kids! I’ll preach the unifying gospel of Christ instead.” Some single, struggling mom who trusted the Father and said, “No—I won’t play the victim and blame everyone else for my struggle! I’ll teach my kids to work hard and trust God with everything.” Some nurse who feared God and said, “No—I’ll counsel women who are scared of pregnancy! I’ll help them through it, to save them along with their baby.” Some preacher who feared God and said, “No—I’ll love my gay neighbors and show them Christ’s compassion, but I won’t trade a cross for a rainbow flag—not in my heart or on my church lawn.”
From Puah to David to Peter, God’s been using little lights to overwhelm a sweeping darkness from the very beginning. And just remember, friend: a faithful little midwife who fears God makes a far greater impact on her world than a powerful Pharaoh who doesn’t.