Exodus 1:17 (ESV) … “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.”
In spite of the dangers involved, there were some who proved themselves faithful to God. Pharaoh decreed that the Israelite boys should be killed at birth. This infanticide was too horrible to contemplate, so two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, refused to comply. Even before Pharaoh, they showed their shrewdness and their respect for human life, claiming that the Israelite women gave birth quickly, before the midwives could come to help them.
The important principle emerges here that God will honor those who defend the principles of righteousness, showing respect for his creation and his rule over life. The midwives are more anxious to please God than to please Pharaoh, and God rewards them.[1]
So as today begins, commit your heart to live righteously unto the Lord. Be ready to defend the principles of righteousness and be steadfast in the word of the Lord.
[1] Campbell, I. D. (2006). Opening up Exodus (p. 24). Leominster: Day One Publications.