If you were God, and about three thousand years ago you wanted to free some two million people from a powerful empire, how would you do it? Let's call that empire Egypt, and the enslaved people Israel. Egypt is militarily powerful, the Israelites weakened from decades of forced labor. Everyone is religious, believing in dozens of gods and goddesses. And God has not talked to anyone in over four-hundred years.
God has decided to work in and through people. He works through Pharaoh - who has been raised to believe in his own divinity, exceedingly cruel and violent. He works through Moses who is an Israelite, raised as an Egyptian prince, exiled to the desert, existed as a scraggly shepherd, and now returns with a stutter. If the Israelites are released to the desert, the economy grinds to a halt for a few days. Or, as the Pharaoh fears, forever. God of Israel or Pharaoh-god of Egypt - who's will shall prevail?
All of this apparently got confusing for the children. When God gives the instructions to Moses on how to be prepared to be rescued, it assumes that the kids will have questions. God has words for the parents on what to say when asked: why are we doing this?
As the wheels of freedom began to grind, the noise of wailing from the Egyptians and scared bleating of the sheep and goats rang throughout the night. It would have been scary for a child to sit through the turmoil of the Passover.
When God brought about the final plague, the Death of the Firstborn, instructions were given on how to survive the night. Those that believed God through Moses obeyed. They took a lamb, slaughtered it, spread the blood over the doorposts of their home, and then roasted the meat over a flickering fire.
The family was to eat in haste, sandals on, staff in hand, belongings packed up. This was a meal unlike any other - it even had a name: the Pass-over meal. Of course the children are going to wonder: why are we doing this?
Screams of terrified mothers and rage-full fathers tore through the darkness when they discovered their firstborn son breathless. Trembling Israelite parents clung to their kids, thankful for life, ready for the morning to arrive.
When notice was given to flee the land, they found their grieving Egyptian neighbors flinging gold and jewelry and other valuables out the window at them - a departing gift. The confusion prompted the kids to whisper: why are we doing this?
When the Israelites arrived at the shore of the Red Sea, the fresh breeze was a blessing. But when they heard the thundering approach of Pharaoh's deadly chariots, they felt cursed and betrayed.
Suddenly the crowd starts moving, you get swept up in the shuffle forward, and amidst the roars of fear and the wild neighing of war-horses you find yourself in water. Well, not in the water, but on dry ground with walls of water to your left and right. What child wouldn't ask: why are we doing this?
God wanted the Israelites to be able to tell the story of their deliverance. God wanted the children of Israel to know who they are, where they came from, and why they feast and worship as they do. God understood the inquisitive nature of children, the mystery of worship, and the complexity of historical remembrance.
When we observe Passover, the Lord's Supper, fasting, praying, giving alms, caring for the least of these - they prompt questions: why are we doing this? What would you tell your kids?
Parents fail their children when there are shallow answers to normal questions. Especially when it comes to our faith and life with God. If parents don't know what they are doing - why do we go to church, etc - or if they don't give a good answer, they'll lose the interest of their kids.
Thoughtlessness and lack of appreciation from parents will get passed on to their kids. But so will reflection, intentionality, understanding, patient explanation in response to curiosity.
Israel would fail in future generations - like within two or three - because parents didn't give good enough answers when the kids asked: why are we doing this? It's been the curse of Israel and Christianity - parents often fail to pass on faith in God to their kids.
Why? Because the parents often fail to invest enough honest reflection into their own life to answer their own questions: why are we doing this? Many times the question of a child is God's prompt for you to do some contemplation.
Why are we doing this?
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