Throughout the years, I've heard countless preachers and Bible teachers talk about how God used Moses to speak to Pharaoh and to lead the people of Israel, even though Moses was not an eloquent speaker. Many have then drawn conclusions such as "See, God can use any of us, even if we have weaknesses" and "God equips the called" and "You don't have to be a great orator to lead God's people." Though I agree with these assessments, there is an important aspect of the Exodus narrative that I believe goes untaught in most cases. Moses didn't do it alone!!! Moses' success was a team effort.
For instance, consider God's response to Moses' fears in Exodus 7:1: "The Lord said to Moses, 'See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet'." And then in verse 6, "Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them." And throughout Exodus, it is clear that Moses is not a lone actor. Aaron consistently comes alongside Moses to see the will of God exacted on Pharaoh and the people of Israel.
So, why do we persist in isolating Moses in our teachings? In my estimation, it is because we like solitary heroes! We are attracted to the idea of a singular hero who saves the world from evil. Superman single-handedly vests the "bad guys" and rescues Metropolis. Batman, though he has Robin, doesn't really need him. Indeed, Robin is portrayed as quite the immature dolt in most cases. It is Batman who saves the day. Audie Murphy earned numerous awards for valor in World War II because of his independent courage under fire. Some of our hero's names are even indicative of this "knight-in-shining armor" ideology, such as the Lone Ranger and Han Solo. And, let's face it, many of us would love to rescue something or someone and then receive all of the accolades for our heroism.
In reality, though, this is not how life or heroism works. We are never self-sufficient! Superman has help. Think of how many times Lois Lane has saved his bacon! Whether we give him much credit, Robin is Batman's sidekick, and Audie Murphy had his company of fellow soldiers, the Lone Ranger has Tonto, and Han Solo has Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. No one works alone! And neither did Moses. Indeed, all of us must share credit for any perceived heroism. We are actors in a troupe of actors--members of various teams who rely on others to "get the job done." To think otherwise is to delude oneself into a type of self- or hero-worship, which is a clear demonstration of foolishness and ignorance. You know, there may be no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in ignorance!