Date: 02-11-2021

Title: Blowin’ Smoke

(S) cripture:
    Exodus 32:19-24 (NLT2) When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it. 21 Finally, he turned to Aaron and demanded, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” 22 “Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”

(O) bservation:
    When confronted by Moses about the golden calf Aaron began spinning a yarn (blowin’ smoke) about how it came about. Aaron was trying to avoid responsibility for his behavior and part in the making of the idol.

(A) pplication:
    Aaron’s story is one no person, with any sense, would believe and yet he tried to pass it off to Moses as the truth. I wonder how often we tell tales (blow smoke) to avoid responsibility. Do we really think that people will believe these far-fetched explanations or excuses. Ours are just a lame and ineffective as was Aaron’s with Moses. Sad thing is that we believe we can pass them off on God. It is always better to take responsibility, confess our sin and then move forward. I want to live my life in a way that has integrity and people will know that I am telling the truth. I want to own up to my failures rather than try to excuse them. I do not want to be “blowin’ smoke” with the people I am called to lead and serve.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to lead with integrity so that others will know that they can trust my word. Amen