“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward.”
Hebrews 11:24-26 (NRS)
In the movie, Braveheart, one scene portrays 13th century Scottish leader, William Wallace leading a charge against the oppressive British king’s army. This real-life character impacted all of Scotland in the name of freedom. Wallace wasn’t the ruler of Scotland. He wasn’t from the ruling noble class. He was a commoner. A peon. A redneck. But he was the leader of the Scottish freedom fighters.
Wallace didn’t use his social status as an excuse to sit on the sidelines and do nothing. While the Scottish nobles quibbled over the risks involved and allowed fear of loss to keep them bound, Wallace stepped up to the plate and began doing something constructive to influence freedom in Scotland. Wallace exercised his faith by moving toward the reward.
While the nobles excused themselves by claiming Wallace had nothing to lose, Wallace understood that he had as much freedom to lose as anyone else. He just wasn’t willing to allow the British king to dictate freedom to Scotland. Wallace realized that material riches and social position weren’t worth the loss of freedom. It was better to risk everything and enjoy freedom than to lose freedom and live under bondage. Like Moses, Wallace was “looking ahead to the reward.”
Sometimes we get so engulfed by the pleasures of this world that we tend to forget the reward. There is a choice to be made: Pharaoh’s heir or God’s. There is a risk: we may have to suffer for Christ. There is a consideration: which is better . . . the reward ahead or the treasures of Egypt? I choose the reward ahead, will you?
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for the reward that you have waiting ahead for those who endure to the end. Empower us with the faith to endure. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for his grace and live to his glory,