After Moses had been up on the mountain for a while, the people got impatient.  They wanted Aaron to build them a god.  He obliged and built them a golden calf from jewelry that they brought to him.  We are told that Aaron told them to bring him this gold and also that he was the one who carved the calf. (vs. 2-4)  When Moses came down from the mountain and questioned his older brother about it, the story was a little different.  “And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.  For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’  So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (Exodus 32:22-24)  Aaron placed the blame on the people for making him do it and then claimed the calf just happened to come out of the fire.  This was a man who had been left in charge of the people, but gave into their desires after just a few days.  It takes strength to stand up for truth when one is in the minority, but our desire should be to please God and not the majority.  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:23-24)

Today’s reading: Exodus 30-32