23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24-25 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27-28 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30-31 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. Hebrews 11:23-31 English Standard Version

One of the biggest ways we see that someone's faith in God is genuine, not just words, is that it leads to vital choices in life. The parents of Moses (who we know from the book of Exodus were Amram and Jochebed) made such a choice when a boy child was born to them. Pharaoh had commanded that all male children born to the Hebrews should be drowned in the Nile. Moses' parents chose to keep him alive. His mother ended up being his nursemaid and in those early impressionable years of his life must have taught him, with her husband, about the God of the Hebrews. What was the vital choice Moses made when he had grown up? (vs 24-25)

What a massive choice that was. He could've had a life of splendour and ease, enjoying all the pleasures that sin has to offer. But he chose instead to be identified with God's people. What led him to such a life changing choice? (vs 26)

His parents must've taught him about God's promise to Adam of a seed of woman who would be a redeemer, a promise that was passed on to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was prepared to go through the mocking of those who loved sin, in order to experience God's reward. His faith led him to fear God when God called him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, rather than to fear Pharaoh's anger and threats.

The people who were rescued by God through Moses also had to make choices by faith. They obeyed God's instructions about putting the blood of a slain lamb on their door lintels so that their little ones were spared when God's wrath passed through the land. They left Egypt believing God would bring them to their destination, and in faith they trusted God as He led them through the parted waters of the Red Sea. This involved leaving behind the place where they’d lived for hundreds of years. It was a big choice.

Which brings us to the choice made by a pagan woman, in fact, a prostitute, who was living in the city of Jericho. She hid two Hebrew men who had come to spy out the city, and helped them to escape the city guards. She could easily have handed them over to those guards and been rewarded. But she says to the spies that she and her family had heard of all that God had done since He led Israel out of Egypt. Then she asked “Please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” (Joshua 2:12-13) Her choice resulted in being in the family line from which Jesus Christ was born.

Has our faith led to important choices in life? Did it affect the company we chose to keep, the films we chose to watch, the lifestyle we sought to live? Real faith is life changing. What's said of Moses in vs 26 should be true of our life as well.