APPLES TO ORANGES
DAY 69: I moved through the Old Testament passage for the day and had to laugh at how well God knows me. The story retold is that of Korah, who is a levite like Moses and Aaron. Korah was a person of influence and of responsibility as part of the tribe of caretakers of the Tabernacle. He was part of an important ministry to God and the people. This, however, was not enough. He was jealous of Arron and his sons, who had been proclaimed Priests; and he was jealous of the authority Moses carried. He began to fixate on how his work compared to theirs. So like any ministry leader hungry for power, he begins to stir the pot.
Korah went next door to the neighboring tribe of Reuben and found some fellow malcontents. You can imagine how that conversation must have gone sitting around the campfire knocking back the goat's milk.
"Yeah, Moses thinks he's so high and mighty, but you know, we are just as wise and he is. Our ministry should be bigger. We should be in charge. We could even take over Arron's ministry. It's not really fair that they are the only ones who get to offer the special sacrifices."
Pretty soon their discontent spread to 250 of their buddies until they all confronted Moses. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD’s people?”
It's amazing how bravery increases with the size of the mob. With 250 "yes" men, probably influenced by Korah's wealth, he got up the courage to go toe to toe with Moses.
8 Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the LORD’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? 10 Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? 11 The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”
Okay, so I hope Aaron wasn't looking to Moses for adulation. "For who is Aaron?" I guess compared to God, Moses was right, not really anybody of consequence. He tried to remind them that any ministry assigned by God is about God and from God. They were all favored to serve Him, but it wasn't about any of them. KORAH WAS TRYING TO COMPARE APPLES TO ORANGES. There was no comparison because God gave them all a unique place to serve Him. Korah's jealousy blinded him to that realization and one big messy fruit salad resulted.
If you read the rest of the story you know it doesn't go well for Korah and gang. God swallows up the tents of Korah and his closest cohorts - and then in something that makes me think of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, flames shot down and single out and burn up the 250 other rebels.
Korah came to despise his service to God when his focus moved from God to his own service. Suddenly, the service wasn't grand enough for him. Tragic, but it still brings a smile to my face as I feel God nudge me and say, "See, Kim, what happens when you take your eyes off me." He knows I need the caution. Perhaps you do, too.
Being in areas of ministry I know many other people in ministry. I know people who have speaking ministries, as I do. I know people who have writing ministries, as I do. I know people who have a radio ministry, as I do. In every case, I know people who have ministries far bigger than mine. I know people who have ministries far more well known than mine. I know people who do what I do far better than I do. I know people who get to do what I only dream of doing. From time to time, just to torture myself, I visit some of these ministry webpages, read their books or listen to their radio shows. Then the temptation comes to be jealous. Why do they get to do that? What's so special about them? If I had the connections they have then I could....
At such times, my eyes are no longer on my BIG BIG God who I am not worthy to serve in any way. My eyes are on me instead and I am close to despising the very service God Himself appointed to me as I start to believe I "deserve" more. I recognized this in myself years ago and made an intentional decision to avoid ministry "clubs" where the temptation was great to flatter one another while at the same time trying to figure out how to do it better. But in the last couple of weeks, I have caught myself surfing other ministries and internally grumbling that I wanted to do more.
So God sent me Korah today, and the words of Moses to ask me, "Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you _________ "
Maybe you can relate... and you can fill in the blank about what God has appointed and chosen you to do. His appointments come in too many ways to count. They come in our homes, our work places, our churches, our neighborhoods, our civic life, and prayer life. God appoints His people to serve Him how He wants and when He wants. In His time, as we are faithful, He will make what He wants out of what He gives.
Korah went next door to the neighboring tribe of Reuben and found some fellow malcontents. You can imagine how that conversation must have gone sitting around the campfire knocking back the goat's milk."Yeah, Moses thinks he's so high and mighty, but you know, we are just as wise and he is. Our ministry should be bigger. We should be in charge. We could even take over Arron's ministry. It's not really fair that they are the only ones who get to offer the special sacrifices."
Pretty soon their discontent spread to 250 of their buddies until they all confronted Moses. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD’s people?”
It's amazing how bravery increases with the size of the mob. With 250 "yes" men, probably influenced by Korah's wealth, he got up the courage to go toe to toe with Moses.
8 Then Moses spoke again to Korah: “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the LORD’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them? 10 Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well? 11 The LORD is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”
Okay, so I hope Aaron wasn't looking to Moses for adulation. "For who is Aaron?" I guess compared to God, Moses was right, not really anybody of consequence. He tried to remind them that any ministry assigned by God is about God and from God. They were all favored to serve Him, but it wasn't about any of them. KORAH WAS TRYING TO COMPARE APPLES TO ORANGES. There was no comparison because God gave them all a unique place to serve Him. Korah's jealousy blinded him to that realization and one big messy fruit salad resulted.
If you read the rest of the story you know it doesn't go well for Korah and gang. God swallows up the tents of Korah and his closest cohorts - and then in something that makes me think of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, flames shot down and single out and burn up the 250 other rebels.
Korah came to despise his service to God when his focus moved from God to his own service. Suddenly, the service wasn't grand enough for him. Tragic, but it still brings a smile to my face as I feel God nudge me and say, "See, Kim, what happens when you take your eyes off me." He knows I need the caution. Perhaps you do, too.
Being in areas of ministry I know many other people in ministry. I know people who have speaking ministries, as I do. I know people who have writing ministries, as I do. I know people who have a radio ministry, as I do. In every case, I know people who have ministries far bigger than mine. I know people who have ministries far more well known than mine. I know people who do what I do far better than I do. I know people who get to do what I only dream of doing. From time to time, just to torture myself, I visit some of these ministry webpages, read their books or listen to their radio shows. Then the temptation comes to be jealous. Why do they get to do that? What's so special about them? If I had the connections they have then I could....
At such times, my eyes are no longer on my BIG BIG God who I am not worthy to serve in any way. My eyes are on me instead and I am close to despising the very service God Himself appointed to me as I start to believe I "deserve" more. I recognized this in myself years ago and made an intentional decision to avoid ministry "clubs" where the temptation was great to flatter one another while at the same time trying to figure out how to do it better. But in the last couple of weeks, I have caught myself surfing other ministries and internally grumbling that I wanted to do more.
So God sent me Korah today, and the words of Moses to ask me, "Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you _________ "
Maybe you can relate... and you can fill in the blank about what God has appointed and chosen you to do. His appointments come in too many ways to count. They come in our homes, our work places, our churches, our neighborhoods, our civic life, and prayer life. God appoints His people to serve Him how He wants and when He wants. In His time, as we are faithful, He will make what He wants out of what He gives.
Apples or Oranges,
when we keep our eyes on God
when we keep our eyes on God
we will realize how HUGE that privilege and service is...
no matter what assignment He has given us.
Day 70 of 365
Numbers 15:17-41
Numbers 16:1-40
Mark 15
Psalm 54:1-7Proverbs 11:5-6
Numbers 15:17-41
Numbers 16:1-40
Mark 15
Psalm 54:1-7Proverbs 11:5-6
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