It was Passover and a friend had invited us to a kid friendly Seder dinner. I am not Jewish but I have always wanted to participate if it would not offend anyone. It seems to me that Exodus is the story of God introducing Himself to us through His interactions with His chosen people. If this is true, then Exodus is not just the story of one people but the story for everyone who wishes to know God.
Our gracious hosts led us through the steps of the Seder with the depth and brevity that two preschoolers and this emotionally exhausted goy could handle. I was amazed. Jewish people who observe Passover to the full extent of religious law spend weeks preparing for this event each year, following specific religious decrees down to the length of time it can take to make matzo (18 minutes) because their ancestors had no time for bread to rise. The great-great-great-great grandfathers and grandmothers of my friends were there on the first Passover. They painted their doorposts with blood to say, “We are God’s people,” trusting that God would keep His promise to protect them from death. Even more amazing, generations of Jews across the globe have been taunted, hated, humiliated and murdered for being the people God chose to be different from the rest. But each year after extensive planning and rule keeping as a form of worship, they sing “Dayenu” (dye-YAY-new).