#DailyDevotion Honor And Respect Your Leaders For God Placed Them There

Easter Week 6 Friday

Read Num 11:24–29; 12:1–16

Num 12:6-9  And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.  (7)  Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.  (8)  With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”  (9)  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed.

Miriam, Moses’ sister, was upset Moses married a Cushite woman. In her anger, she enlisted her brother Aaron to speak against Moses. The both were attacking his station as the leader of the Israelites. While the Lord had put his spirit upon them and other elders of Israel, Moses never the less stood apart from all of them. They were attacking the order of things the Lord had put in place because of jealousy.

But Moses was like no other prophet. The Lord spoke to Moses, “mouth to mouth” “face to face”. He was also straightforward with Moses, like a friend. He did not speak in riddles to Moses, or visions or dreams. Moses was a meek man and faithful in all of the Lord’s house. He would speak back and defend himself against his siblings. The Lord knew his siblings were doing this with impure motives and his anger was turned against them. The Lord embarrassed the two of them before the people of Israel and made it clear who he had chosen to lead his people. Because Miriam was the main instigator, she was struck with leprosy. She would be cut off from the people of God. Moses though interceded for her. The Lord heard and made her have to suffer this temporal punishment so the people would be warned against following in her footsteps.

Now we too must recognize those whom the Lord has placed over us. Whether they be natural (parents) or appointed (government leaders or pastors) they stand as those head related to in the fourth commandment. As such, they stand in the place of God. So even in the New Testament we are told to give honor to such people, even if they are pagan. For St. Paul reminds us there is no authority except that which he himself has put there. It will be as a curse to us to abhor those placed in authority and speak against them without cause and from impure motives as Miriam and Aaron had done. Temporal punishments may indeed come our way if we despise them, but blessing to everyone who trusts God and honors those who stand in his place for the sake of peace and good order, for protection and instruction. At Pentecost, God had put his spirit upon all flesh, and Jesus taught as friends and even calls us such. Yet he has also given us pastors, teachers, elders and overseers for our benefit. We should honor them for the sake of God.

Heavenly Father, give to us such a spirit that we give honor and respect to all those you place over us for our good. Help us, if necessary, to criticize only from pure motives and not from selfish and impure motives that even when that is necessary we do so with love and respect so we may live long in the land you give us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.