Is It a Small Thing To You?
My daily Bible reading has me studying through the Wilderness Wanderings again. I delved into these passages so in-depth a few years back I was afraid there would be nothing new to uncover. Boy, was I wrong! When will I remember that God’s Word is alive, and He will always give us something fruitful from His Word when we approach with a teachable spirit?
Anyway, a few days ago, I was reading about the altercation led by Korah, one of the Levites and also a relative of Moses and Aaron. In short, Korah and his gang were jealous and felt they had just as much to offer the people as Moses and Aaron did. Not only did they want to hold positions as priests (something reserved for Aaron and his descendants only), but they also wanted to be leaders like Moses. So full of themselves were these men that they challenged Moses and Aaron. Big mistake! In the end, the ground swallowed up the leaders of this rebellion, and all the followers were burned alive. Eek!
But, the part I want to draw your attention to today is an exchange of words between Moses and some of the rebels. In his great wisdom and humility, Moses tried to diffuse the situation before it got ugly. He thought maybe he could reason with these men, but their hateful and defiant answer showed they wouldn’t be swayed.
“And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?”
God had separated the entire tribe of Levi to serve in the tabernacle. He provided all their needs via the other tribes. He gave them a place of honor and even told them He would be their portion. It was a high calling, but evidently not enough for Korah and his group. So, Moses questioned, “Is it a small thing to you that God has put you in such a place of honor?” I wouldn’t have been so diplomatic as my comment would have been more akin to “You ungrateful brats!” But anyway. . . Look how the rebels responded:
“And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.”
Well, okey-dokey. Did you notice how they threw Moses’ words back at him? “Is it a small thing. . .” Talk about nasty attitudes. Good gracious! These words (and this tone) tell me these men had no remorse for their selfish and jealous views and had no intentions of backing down. But it also tells me they took their position for granted. To them, being keepers of the tabernacle was a small thing. It wasn’t the position they wanted; therefore, it wasn’t good enough. They felt they deserved something more, something better.
When I read this passage the other day, I got angry at these fellows. How dare they treat Moses like that! What right did they have to talk to him that way? And how ungrateful can you get? But during my rant, I heard God whisper, “Dana, is it a small thing I’ve called you to?” At that moment, I thought of all my complaints about what I did or didn’t have and what positions I wanted to hold, but God didn’t see fit to place me in. I looked back at my pity parties of ingratitude, and I cringed.
Too often, I have taken God’s many blessings for granted and treated them like “small things.” Too many times, I’ve complained about the monotonous chores of dishes, laundry, paperwork, expense reports, and traveling while forgetting that, while these things may not be the most glamorous, they are part of the work the Lord has called me to do. And you know what? No matter what the job is, if God called me to it, it’s a good job and a big deal!
Zechariah 4:10 asks the question, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Well, Korah and his gang did, but sadly, I’ve been guilty of it too. What about you? Have you taken your blessings for granted? Is jealousy keeping you from doing the work God has called you to do? Are you despising the small things the Lord has led you to because you feel you deserve more?
If so, I urge you to take to heart the lesson learned in Numbers 16. The selfishness, jealousy, and ingratitude of these men led to their destruction and the death of many followers. Let’s not make the same mistake. Instead, let’s be grateful for everything God has given us—big or small, important or seemingly insignificant. Blessings are blessings, no matter what size packages they come in.