Today in the M’Cheyne reading plan, I read Numbers 17-18. This section (actually, chapters 16-18) of Scripture has been bothering me recently because of the frequent struggles church leaders have with others in the church who either are leaders or want to be leaders. I’m sure all of us who have been involved in any sort of ministry position have experienced such tensions in ministry leadership. I know I have…and am.
I have often thought how nice it would be to call for a “prophet’s duel” as we read about in 1 Kings 18 or here in Numbers 16-17, just to see who is really right.
If you have ever been in such situations, you have probably caught yourself thinking, “Lord, may the ground swallow them up!” If you haven’t thought something similar, well, you are better than I.
You see, we leaders have the idea that we are like Moses, and all those who challenge our position are like the rebellious family of Korah. We preach sermons based on the Psalm 105:14-15: “Touch not the Lord’s anointed” and how we are “above reproach” and so should not be reproached.
Talk about an egocentric reading! If we really want to plug in people to Numbers 16-17 (which I am not sure is the right way to “apply” this text), I think it is safest to say that all of us, church leaders and pastors included, are the rebellious family of Korah, and Jesus is Moses. As we fight among ourselves for positions of power and authority, we are like Korah, trying to take for ourselves what belongs to Jesus only.
So are you experiencing power struggles in your church? For proper perspective, don’t read yourself in Moses. Read yourself into Korah, and see how that changes your dealings with “the others.”
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