“The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.”  Proverbs 3:34(The wisdom book of Proverbs is full of warnings against pride and arrogance.)

“Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time…” 1 Peter 5:5-6

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:1-10

The root cause of every war, internal and external, is rebellion against God. The sin of pride, thinking we know what is best, begins the rebellion. Pride spreads throughout our being like cancer.  Pride breeds more sins such as jealousy, greed, and arrogance—all unholy behaviors and not of God.  Our relationship with God and others is hindered.  God seems to be at a distance from us.  Why? God and sin do not occupy the same space.  We must confess our sins with a humbled, sincere heart. 

When we confess; God will draw near, cleanse us, and forgive us; and the wars will cease! We will not be at war with God, so we will not be at war with ourselves. This means we will not be at war with others.                   

Numbers 12

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.

³ (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

⁴ At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, ⁶ he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams.
⁷ But this is not true of my servant Moses;
    he is faithful in all my house.
⁸ With him I speak face to face,
    clearly and not in riddles;
    he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
    to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, ¹¹ and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. ¹² Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Moses was the most humble man on the planet!  By his response to the attack on his leadership by his brother Aaron and his sister, Mirium we learn to respond in ways God would be pleased!

1. Moses was the victim of needless gossip within his own family.  “You hurt the ones you love most” is true. When gossip and sarcastic criticism by family members that you trust “throw shade on you,” (as they say these days), in betrayal; it is excruciatingly painful. We don’t expect it, so we are shocked.  Being a humble man, Moses sought the Lord often.  The Lord heard the gossip and was angered.  Moses didn’t respond to his accusers; but allowed God to take care of it.
2. Jealousy caused Aaron and Miriam to speak out against Moses. God told them, however, that he spoke directly and openly with Moses. As a result, Aaron and Miriam received God’s judgment.  A lack of contentment often leads to the problem of jealousy.  Even though their words were against Moses, their words were in rebellion to God.  Moses response?  Moses stood with them and became their advocate before God.
3. Moses forgave his brother and sister and did not hold their sin against them.

WHO did for us what Moses did for his siblings? Jesus, of course! Moses’ example of humility and forgiveness became the precursor for what Jesus will do centuries later for all of us.  The most powerful words delivered by Jesus who humbly hung on a cross publicly to pay for our sins were; “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are do.” Luke 23:34  Because of Jesus, we are forgiven and made whole.

Pause to pray, reflect, evaluate, and respond humbly to God.  Are you jealous of someone’s name, position, authority, or possessions? Are you envious of others’ families? Do you gossip to make yourself feel better about yourself?  Are you being betrayed by gossip?  Whatever the circumstance or wherever you are in your faith journey; Ask God to show you how you can be content with the things that really matter—Jesus’ love and forgiveness as Savior and Lord.  Ask God to end the war within you. (See Romans 10—Moses is mentioned by Paul!)  And I will do the same.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Paul, Romans 10-9-10

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts completely.  Remove all that does not belong there.  Renew our minds, change our thinking from satisfying self to seeking Your holy ways. Refresh our souls with your new, tender mercies for today.  As we humbly seek you with listening ears and opened eyes; restore the joy of you in us and us in you.  I’m yours.  You are indeed everything we need! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen