February 17 - Never Wish for Numbers

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 1 & 2; Acts 24

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Stay focused on building big people;
let God build big groups! 

The book of Numbers delivers on the promise of its title: it begins by numbering the tribes of Israel.  While this may not be spell-binding reading, there’s much to see between the lines.  There were 600,000 fighting men, so likely well over 2 million altogether, including women and children.  This must have been the biggest campsite any of us have ever seen, including Woodstock!

And we know they weren’t all happy campers – these were Jews who love to complain and who had very good reason: constant setting up, tearing down, moving out, and then repeating the cycle ad

infinitum; wandering in a barren desert with nothing interesting to see or do; keeping children distracted from their constant hunger and thirst; trying to avoid wars with bloodthirsty barbarians while trespassing on their land; and knowing there’s more of that ahead when they finally get to the “Promised Land.”  How would we do with no kitchens, bathrooms (not even an outhouse), televisions, water coolers, air conditioners, shopping malls, or transportation options – for 40 years!

Then there’s their fearless leader.  Moses was an octogenarian when he started this parade to the Promised Land, and then he outlives them for another 40 years in the wilderness.  A well-earned retirement, a little golf, some puttering in the workshop, and a lot of Lazy-Boy action would be all I could think about when I turn 120!  Try leading 2 million complaining Jews through the worst possible conditions with little idea where you’re going and what you’ll find when you get there.  Then try to do that without a P.A. system and a good worship team to set the mood.

“So often I’ve aspired to see numbers grow, as a youth pastor, an associate pastor, a senior pastor, and a college president.  But Lord, I’m no Moses, and I now would rather focus on quality than quantity.  I’ll stay concerned with building big people; You can deal with building big groups!”