Failure: Character Overcomes Failure

Focus passage: Numbers 12:1-16

Moses takes a whipping from his siblings. He hadn’t done anything wrong. His wife was not of one of the tribes of Israel. It is likely that Zipporah had died and Moses had taken a second wife. That wasn’t the real issue, however. It was jealousy. Moses was their little brother and God had made him the boss. Did this little brother forget that it was Miriam who had put him in the basket so long ago? Did Moses forget that it was Aaron who had spoken to Pharaoh when he was afraid to? Who did he think he was? There are times when even our friends and family seem to turn against us because of our success or God’s favor. We are hurt and wonder what we have done wrong. What is just as important is how we react when we are wrongly accused.

Moses shows true meekness in this situation. It would be only natural for Moses to yell and scream at his siblings in order to protect himself, but the text never says that he uttered a word. Moses never seemed to be protective about his position. Moses was comfortable sharing leadership first with Aaron during the plagues and then having Joshua at his side. When God made Aaron high priest instead of him, Moses obediently prepared his brother and his nephews for this high honor. Meekness is often seen as a weakness, but it is a strength of those who truly rise to the top. The meek are so comfortable with who they are that they don’t need to protect their position. They don’t covet other’s happiness. They are happy with whatever position or honor that the Lord wants to give them. 

Moses is merciful and loving. Many people would have been glad to see Miriam suffer for what she had done. Moses sees his sister as a leper and begs for her healing. He comes before the God he knows so well and asks for mercy. He loves her and her pain is more important than his own honor. Moses knows how merciful God really is. He asks for mercy without a second thought. He is not worried about getting God angry. He has spent time with God and knows God’s heart and thoughts. Mercy too is strength. Merciful people see the pain of others rather than their own hurt. You feel in your core what the punishment will do to their lives. You fear their future instead of needing to protect your own. God’s heart has touched yours and so you care just like he does. 

Moses has a deep relationship with the Lord. Several people in the Old Testament had visions or dreams with the Lord. Abraham, Jacob, and Daniel were a few who had such connections. Moses was even more special. He spent time face to face with God on Mt. Sinai and at other times. He was one of the few that can plead with God directly to change his mind. The relationship of God and Moses was deep and close. It made Moses who he was. He had God’s heart for the people. It takes strength to not be brought down by the insults of others. Those who are close to the Lord will be shaped and strengthened by the Lord. They will spend time with the Lord in word and prayer and know that they are loved by God. It will give them comfort and strength when they are hated by the world. 

God will protect those whom He loves. Moses doesn’t have to protect himself. God will deal with those who dishonor others. When the cloud lifts, Miriam finds herself a leper. As such, she will be excluded from the congregation and not allowed to live with them lest she infect others. Instead of being a leader, she will be an outcast. God strikes quickly here lest others join her refrain in speaking against Moses. Her attacks were tools of Satan. Instead of letting the Lord lead, she wanted to lead and to have the honor that was not hers to bestow on herself. The people who promote themselves will not stay on top for long. God will lift up the meek and merciful in his time and will bring down those who seek to promote themselves. It is the meek who will survive and thrive. 

There will always be bullies, but their rise to the top will not last for long. There will soon be a bully who begins to plan against them. You can’t be a leader by your own strength or cunning. Those who rise to the top will have three things in common with Moses. The first is a strong relationship with the Lord. God taught his mind and touched his heart in those times of closeness. People who are connected to the Lord rise to the top because they have God’s wisdom and power. Second, Moses was meek. He had nothing to prove. He put his life in God’s hands and was comfortable with whatever the Lord wanted for him. The meek are humble and kind. People respect them for it. Finally, Moses was merciful. A lot of people hurt him over his ministry, but he asked God to forgive them. He saw the pain of punishment and cared about others more than himself. When you have the qualities of God, others may think you are a failure, but you have the qualities of success that will stand the test of time.