Numbers 32:6-8–But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them? 

In talking to my older brother recently, he told me that watching “mom” and her work ethic gave him no excuse to do whatever it takes to take care of his family.  I found it ironic because my mom would always say, “that if my father and mother raised eleven kids, surely I can raise you two boys by myself”.  That statement has always encouraged me to seek God and persevere in His grace, to endure in times I haven’t wanted to…

Because of sin, it is natural to just think about what benefits us before we think about others.  It takes much more effort, and I would argue God’s grace alone, to focus on what benefits and encourages others to persevere, at the expense of our immediate benefit.  Think about how many families, churches, and communities have been destroyed, because people forsook what would be encouraging, for what ultimately discourages others to have faith to persevere? (Micah 6:8, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

This was the focus of Moses, when the people of Reuben and Gad came to him, focusing only on what would benefit their clans.  It took a leader like Moses to remind them, that if they pursue their own selfish benefits, people who are looking to be encouraged by them in battle together, will be discouraged.  Thereby provoking others to fail in fulfilling God’s plan in their generation. (Numbers 32:14-15)

Do we think like that when it comes to our mentality and faith towards life?  It is actually impossible to think about how I may be discouraging others in their faith, if I am only focused on what benefits “me and mine”.  The affect of how discouraging our selfishness is to people, generally doesn’t hit us until it’s too late.  The thought of how discouraged the people would be if Reuben and Gad’s clan stayed, never crossed their minds until Moses said something…(Philippians 2:4)

True leadership focuses on who we can influence for good.  So we can have a “leadership position” yet be completely selfish in our mentality, by just thinking about our own benefit as a “leader”.  Calling people out of their selfish agenda like Moses, is to provoke those who can influence others, to break out and do so.  Like the clans of Reuben and Gad, there are people who God has placed before us, who maybe looking for encouragement in their faith, unbeknownst to us.  Ask God to open your heart to who those people could be? (Hebrews 3:12-15)

In His Love, Ld