Nougat 15

I sat in the Bible study on wealth creation and kept hearing a phrase from today’s Holy Nougat

“And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For Moses, it was the rod in his hand. As a shepherd, the rod represented his tool in trade, or – as per the context of our reflection – his seed. While we could argue about the duality of the rod’s purpose (it could also be seen as a scepter), it is the fact that the rod reflected his giftings that truly matter. As prince of Egypt, Moses needed good leadership skills to rule the people. Some would say his impulsiveness got in the way of his gifting. The forty years spent as a shepherd honed his skills to include patience and attention to detail. And those were definitely critical skills for his upcoming role.

When God invited Moses to use the power of the rod, God offered Moses the base for investment. That rod was a familiar tool for guiding sheep in the wilderness, it was a bit easier for him, under God’s Spirit, to guide the multitude for forty years (the same duration of his shepherding stint) through the wilderness. God does not waste opportunities or lessons.

Within the context of investing, or wealth accumulation, it may be worth exploring our own gifts and skills. So a decision to pursue computer engineering when one has no head for math, sciences, or coding isn’t necessarily a good investment. Yet, a flair for design and creativity may be the rod for event planning or decorating. It may even prove beneficial for web design, if we have the urge towards computer tech.

And, when we invest in others’ lives, we also will find that our gifts provide an easier point of connection and reference for our interactions. Especially when our system is not fully in sync for all that’s needed to be done. So, let’s pause and prayerfully ponder what is in our hand? Are we maximizing its potential? How are we capitalizing on our investment? Where does God get the glory?

May this propel us to wisely invest if we haven’t been doing so.

—

May all we seek be found in Christ