WHAT IS FAITH?
As used in the Bible, “faith” involves firm belief based on solid evidence. Someone who has faith in God is confident that He will fulfill all of His promises.
HOW DID MOSES DISPLAY FAITH?
Moses centered his life on God’s promises. (Genesis 22:15-18) He had the opportunity to live a comfortable life amid the luxuries of Egypt, but he gave up that opportunity, “choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin.” (Hebrews 11:25) Was that an impulsive decision, one that he would later regret? No, for the Bible says that Moses “continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27) Moses never regretted the choices he made in faith.
Moses sought to strengthen the faith of others. Consider, for example, what happened when the Israelites seemed trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. Terrified by what appeared to be imminent calamity, the Israelites cried out to Jehovah and to Moses. How would Moses respond?
Moses may have had little idea that God was about to part the Red Sea, thereby opening up an escape route for the Israelites. However, Moses was confident that God would do something to protect His people. And Moses wanted his fellow Israelites to have that same conviction. We read: “Moses said to the people: ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will perform for you today.’” (Exodus 14:13) Did Moses succeed in fortifying the faith of his fellow Israelites? Indeed, for the Bible says regarding not just Moses but all the Israelites: “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land.” (Hebrews 11:29) Moses’ faith benefited not only himself but everyone who learned from it.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US?
We can imitate Moses by centering our life on God’s promises. For example, God promises to care for our material needs if we give his worship the top priority in our life. (Matthew 6:33) True, we may find it a challenge to resist the emphasis on material things that is so prevalent today. But we can be sure that when we do our best to keep our life simple and focused on our worship, Jehovah will provide all that we need. He guarantees: “I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.”
We also strive to help others to grow in faith. For instance, wise parents recognize the tremendous opportunity they have to build faith in their children. As they grow, children need the vital knowledge that God exists and that he has given us standards of right and wrong. In addition, they need to be convinced that following his standards really is the best way of life. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) Parents give their children a precious gift when they help them to have faith that God “is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.”