Tar Baby

So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10 — NIV).

My daughter’s learning to read. The other day, she was introduced to the word ‘tar.’ “What’s ‘tar’?” she inquired. I answered, “Though it starts out an icky mess, over time, it becomes a protective covering.”

Tar.

It’s also what a desperate mother coated a papyrus basket with before laying down her three month old baby and sending him off (with a plea for Divine protection, no doubt) into the reeds of the Nile River. When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the basket, the baby inside was safe and dry.

Drawing him from the water, she named him Moses.

Because of a Hebrew mother’s love, a royal adoptive mother’s care, and ultimately, the graciousness of I AM, Moses’ life was preserved, and he eventually became the leader of 600,000 Israelite men (not to mention women and children) after 430 years in Egypt.

As I’ve read Exodus — about Moses’ call, his cowardice at times, and how God used him to confront a hard-hearted Pharaoh — I’m amazed. This tar-protected baby whose early life was threatened — a Prince of Egypt turned murderer then sheep farmer, afraid of snakes (4:3) and a stutterer (4:10, 6:12) — became God’s protective covering for His children.

Yes — I AM chose Moses, despite his short-comings, to face an unpredictable, arrogant, verbal punch-throwing Pharaoh time and time again…

Yeah, yeah — I said everyone could leave, but I’ve changed my mind. Just the men…”

… Leave the livestock…”

… Never mind — out of my sight! If I see you again, I’ll kill you…”

Makes me think of an old Uncle Remus story. A tar baby was set up along the road to entrap Br’er Rabbit and bring his wiliness to an end! Tar Baby doesn’t say what Br’er Rabbit wants, which aggravates him to the point of throwing punches — once, twice… three times — until Br’er Rabbit’s stuck, entangled by his own poor choices.

Similarly, because of his hardened heart, Pharaoh brings vast devastation — the final plague resulting in personal tragedy, as well, when the life of every Egyptian firstborn male is snuffed out.

Entangled in grief unimaginable, he finally says —

Up! Leave my people…! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested…” (12:31)

And Moses, the ‘Tar Baby’ — now 80 years old — becomes a protective covering for God’s people, leading them toward the Promise Land.

How has I AM shaped you, despite your imperfections, to become a protective covering for another? Looking back on your life, do you see His gracious hand of protection on you, as well?