The Problem of Envy

The Problem of Envy

Words of Faith 6-12-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Numbers 12

    [1] 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.)

         Here we have a very human story of leadership and envy.

         After traveling together for some time, Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses.  The Hebrew word means to “speak destructively” or “utter rehearsed words,” as if in a plot.

         Remember, that Miriam is the oldest of these three siblings.  She was a strong leader and a valuable part of God's plan.  The grammar used places Miriam as the leader in this grumbling rebellion.  Aaron was no less guilty because he "went along" with his older sister. He was part and party.  Listening and going along was as bad as speaking.

         The chief complaint was simply that the Lord had spoken through each of them.  Who did Moses think he was?  But they went a step further and criticized Moses’ choice in marriage. (Sounds like a very human family.)

         Moses had married a Cushite.  We do not know if this refers to Zipporah from Midian or if she had died, and Moses remarried another woman.  The term "Cushite" was a designation of ancestry used with disdain and seems to have been a slanderous racial slur as well.  Whoever this wife was, there was a racial issue.

          Miriam may have always resented Zipporah because she was of darker skin.  She may have resented the remarriage of Moses to a person of darker color after the unrecorded death of Zipporah.  In either case, we see an ugly human response involving racism and envy. 

          We also see the human tendency to criticize the spouse of a leader.  This happens in politics as well as in church settings.  If a critic cannot find something bad to say about a leader, or it seems unpopular to do so, they will often turn to criticize the spouse. 

         In this case, Moses was unassailable. His heart was pure.  The text says that he was more humble than anyone on the face of the earth.  Miriam could not attack Moses directly, so she criticized his wife.  It was a particularly ugly thing to use a racial slur.

          So, what do we make of this?  If you read ahead, you will see that God does not tolerate this sort of grumbling rebellion or slanderous talk! He does not tolerate racism, either. Mercy will finally win out, but this is a powerful warning. Listen.   

          For today, these few verses make us aware of the ugly side of leadership.  This is not the grumbling of the “rabble” that is desirous of spicier food.  This is Miriam!  This is Aaron!  Aaron was the right-hand man who spoke for Moses before Pharaoh.  Miriam was the first worship leader of all time. As the big sister, she preserved the life of infant Moses placing him in a basket.  She made the introduction so that their mother could nurse Moses.  It is beyond disappointing to see this jealous talk taking place, but this is what can happen when we allow our pride to enter in and our flesh to take over.

          It is not an infrequent occurrence that I hear of a worship leader who has left a church suddenly or an associate minister who has departed with bad feelings.  I am confident that God is sovereign and uses even these situations.  But sometimes there is an ugly criticism behind it.

          God is not inspiring the feelings of envy or ugly accusations that are sometimes attached to such situations.  That was the problem with Miriam and Aaron.  They allowed pride and prejudice to get in the way of what God was doing.  Somehow, they got the idea that this huge movement of God was about them.  A key truth to remember: It’s not about me.

           Do you know of such a situation?  Maybe you are in one right now.  Is there grumbling of one leader against another?  Or have you found yourself envious of another person?  Are there criticisms against the spouse of a leader?  Are there racial or ethnic insults muttered?  None of this is of God’s Spirit.  This is all of the “flesh” -- our fallen nature which is hostile toward God.  The only answer is to pray for surrender before God of all our pride and prejudice.

         Dear Lord, Help me to surrender my pride and my prejudice so that I can serve you wholly.  Help me to keep my eyes upon You and away from my ambitions.  Help me to see what You are doing in every situation.  Show me the place You want me to be and the role You want me to play.  I pray in earnest for my pastor and for the leaders You have put into my life.  I pray for all those in leadership positions that they will find blessing in their surrender to You.  In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2004, 2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.