THE MOMENT
How do empires come to an end? In a way that is a misnomer. Most often the people continue, but the people who ruled them change, and with the change culture is altered significantly. We simplify history by focusing on a major battle or other theatric climatic event. I believe the end and new beginning is more subtle. I heard of an oil company that was taken over through a dispute between a brother and sister. That dispute started with an act of cruelty. When the children were young little sister was given a peacock for her birthday. She loved that peacock, spending lots of time training her pet. People were amazed at how the peacock responded to her love. Little sister received lots of praise from her parents because of the responsiveness of her pet. Older brother became jealous. He would tease the peacock, throw pebbles at the bird, and torment little sister to tears. One day older brother reached across the fence, grabbed the peacock by neck, and broke the peacock’s neck. This horrible moment was forever captured in the eyes of little sister. When father died the siblings inherited the controlling interest in the company. Older brother was the CEO and doing a good job. One day a much larger oil company invested in a hostile take over, and succeeded because little sister voted her shares in favor of the take over.
And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2: 1-10
The first will be last and the servant of all, or the first will be last and the last will be first.
And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2: 1-10
The first will be last and the servant of all, or the first will be last and the last will be first.
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