Today’s Scripture Reading (August 9,
2012): Numbers 16
When I was
in High School I invented a game with some of my friends. Well, invented might
be a little strong. We adapted some already existing games into a new format.
The foundation stone of our new game was the game of Risk. So we played Risk
with all of the existing rules, except that we added ships that could attack
coastal spaces and transports that could deliver troops to friendly coastal squares.
But in a true war, there is also a economic portion of the battle. So we needed
a way to buy troops and ships for the battle. So we added the game of Stock Ticker
to our new adaptation. And we set the prices for the various things and began
to play.
For one of
my friends, the temptation to use all of his economic power at the beginning of
the game was too much. After all, Risk is a game of military strategy and
battle. What could Stock Ticker really add to the game? And so he neglected
Stock Ticker and used all of his money to buy extra armies at the beginning of
the game. And it paid off – at least early in the game. He had the advantage that
none of the rest of us had. But he did not have enough of an advantage to end
the game. And as the rest of our economies started to take off, he found
himself in a position where it was impossible for him to win. He had missed
something important at the game.
What the
leaders of Israel saw was that God had created them equal. When they were
slaves none of them were allowed to have an opinion. But now as a community of
free people, they all had a right to lead. And rights would not be taken away
from them or given up by them easily. And somehow all of that made a lot of
sense. Should it not be the one with the best ideas that has the honor of
leading?
But as Moses
laid facedown before God, he revealed what it was that the rest of the would be
leaders lacked – humility. It was not the awesome ideas and leadership aptitudes
that Moses possessed that made him the leader that he was. It was his
willingness to humble himself before his God – something that none of the other
would be leaders had been willing to do.
God is not
looking for the next great idea for the church. He is looking for the ones that
are willing to lay face down before him in an act of trust and humility. A man that
is lying face down is not in a position to fight – but only to trust in the one
that he is lying before. God needs more Moses’ that are willing to humble
themselves and trust. It is the real attribute of leadership that we often do
not give the attention that it deserves. Without an economy, my friend was
never a threat in our High School game of Risk, and without humility, none of
our ideas really matter.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers
17
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