Moses

Moses was not brought up by his own people. Although a Hebrew (slave), he was brought up by the Egyptians, as royalty. So he would have missed out on many traditions, experiences, and even ‘laws’ of his people – God’s people. He would have been eating ‘unclean’ foods, paying homage to false gods, etc.
 
So when Moses decided to get back in with his people (by murdering an Egyptian soldier), it did not work. They did not accept him. Shortly after killing the Egyptian Moses tried to break up a fight between Hebrew brothers. Rather than seeing him as one of their own, as a help, a hero, one of them said: ‘Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian?’ (Exodus 2:14)
 
Moses had to flee. His own people would not accept him, and the people who raised him - the Egyptians - were now after him for murder.

Moses had no people, no nation. So when God called him to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery, truly Moses was a lone ranger. An outlier. An outcast. But now anointed by God not just to be one of them, but to lead them. To be their Leader.
 
Here are some distinctives of Moses, and I wonder if his ‘outcast’ status had something to do with forming this character deep within:
 
1. Moses was closer to God than others: ‘God spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.’ (Exodus 33:11) 

2. Moses was more humble than others: ‘Moses was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.’  (Numbers 12:3) 

3. God’s Spirit, or nothing! If God’s Spirit was not in it, Moses would quit. Past miracles did not matter to him. Honor from the crowds did not matter to him. He held onto no glory or goodness of yesterday – in himself or in the people with him (See Exodus 32:32-33). And he did not care at all about prosperity in the future if God’s presence was not part of the prosperity, the reward. (Exodus 33:1-3,15) God or nothing. God’s Spirit or nothing. Not one more step.

​4. Alone with God:
Moses’ highest reward was to get more time alone with God. Not a ceremony from the people, an honorary degree, a celebration, a lauding introduction… Nope. What Moses wanted – even after interceding for the people and saving their lives – was simply this: ‘Now, God, show me your glory.’ (Exodus 33:18) God honored this by hiding Moses alone in the cleft of a rock and shining all God’s brilliance on him, soaking him in holy light.
 
‘Jesus said, ‘The most important command is this: Love God with all your heart…’’ (Matthew 22:37)

---