Moses and his mouth

One of my students provided me with an interesting perspective on the passage in Exodus 4:10 (LITV). The passage states,

And Moses said to Jehovah, O Lord, I am not a man of words, either from yesterday or the third day, nor since You have been speaking to Your bondslave. For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue. And Jehovah said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?"

There are many conclusions which might be drawn about who people with disability are, not the least of which is that they are made by Jehovah. However, I found it interesting that God comes to Moses, a man who it appears both Moses and God agreed had some form of a speech impediment, and asks him (Moses) to speak for Him (Jehovah). God goes to a person with a disability and challenges him in the area of his disability. Later in verse 15 the passage says,

And you shall speak to him, and you shall put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do.

Other than noting that God is a special educator, He is consistent in providing people to come alongside of persons with disabilities so that they can move beyond themselves. No doubt in addition to looking for an excuse to not do what God wanted him to do, Moses had defined himself as this person with a speech problem. He was probably teased as a child, felt uncomfortable around women, and all the other things which accompany such a disability. But God didn't see him in that way.
Moses also must have either known that God made him the way he was, or perhaps he wasn't sure and was wondering how God would respond to his complaint about his disability. God, however, leaves him no doubt. "Who has made man's mouth?" Now apparently, God didn't make just one mouth, but a variety of mouths, as he recognizes that Aaron's mouth does not face the same issues as Moses' mouth. It appears that Moses' mouth and Aaron's mouth are simply within the range of mouths God made.
However, the point I wanted to make here is to those who might read this blog who experience a disability. God may choose to challenge you in the area of your disability. This doesn't surprise me as it is a scriptural principle that God works through weakness such that His glory might be seen. Perhaps disability is an opportunity for the Christian who experiences disability. It is a chance to show God's glory through weakness. It is also an opportunity for those around that person with disability to also demonstrate God's glory by "working the works of Him who sent me(see 4/1/2005 blog entry).

McNair
(fcbu)