The big job might be the little job

When I used to coach little league baseball I would often marvel at the attitudes that needed adjusting … not the kids’ attitudes, but the parents’.  In fact, I used to say (and still maintain) that little league baseball would be amazing if there were no parents allowed.  Okay to that’s just a joke … sort of.

What is the issue at hand that made it so frustrating?  My reading through Numbers 15 – 21, Psalms 132 – 138, and 2 Kings 6 – 12, this week provided an example of the issue and also a bit of realignment that I would propose we all need from time to time.

In Numbers 16, we read about a guy named Korah who embodies some attitudes and attributes that … if we’re real honest … we can probably identify with … IF we’re real honest.  While the Israelites are still on their wandering ways, Korah one day incites a bit of a rebellion against Moses and Aaron.  In verse 3 we read

They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far!  The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us.  What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?”

This inflammatory attack by Korah comes from nothing short of pride.  Essentially, in saying “what right do you have” he’s saying “I deserve it just as much as you.”  Just as people say “there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’” we can just as validly highlight that “I” is at the center of “pride”.  In other words, when I’m overly focused on me, it comes from a heart filled with pride.

Korah isn’t so much worried about why Moses and Aaron were the leaders of the Israelites (and frankly, if he’d thought it through he would have remembered that God Himself called Moses up on Mount Sinai to appoint him to the task … but anyhow …).  He’s jealous that he wasn’t assigned the honor and responsibility.

It’s a little like how parents used to come up to me and ask me why little “Johnny” wasn’t pitching or playing shortstop.  In some more extreme cases, parents would have the audacity to wonder why little “Jimmy” was playing a position when little “Johnny” was better.  Seriously?  Well, at least that last group was honest about what they were really thinking.

For us, when we really peer into our motivations at times, do we see the same underlying motivation?  Do we look at others in positions of authority or esteem and question why that person deserves to be in the position they’re in?  Inherently, we’re wondering less about them and more about ourselves … and asserting essentially that we deserve whatever recognition or position more than the other person.

I heard a story about a pastor who was approached by a congregant who shared that he felt called into ministry.  No doubt the congregant expected the pastor to take him under his wing, encourage him, perhaps recommend seminary training, etc.  Instead, the pastor handed the congregant a broom and instructed him to go out into the parking lot and sweep it up.  He had him repeat the task week after week until the congregant was finally “ready” for ministry.

The more we look to put ourselves on top, the less we deserve to be there.  Korah was so concerned that he should have been leader of the Israelites, that his attitude demonstrated how little he was equipped to be there.  If we have to tell someone we are a leader, we’re not.  When people notice that we’re a leader without our telling them, then we’ve arrived.

Further along in Numbers 16, Moses sets Korah straight, and provides us a little wisdom we can put to use ourselves no doubt … in verses 9 – 11 …

Does it seem insignificant to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the community of Israel to be near him so you can serve in the Lord’s Tabernacle and stand before the people to minister to them?  Korah, he has already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well?  The Lord is the one you and your followers are really revolting against! For who is Aaron that you are complaining about him?”

Moses basically says, “Korah, be grateful for the job you have … that you have any job at all.  God gave it to you, so it must be important to Him.  Your griping is basically griping to God, who gave you the opportunity to be in the role … any role … in the first place.”

We, too, should be grateful for whatever job, responsibility, recognition, etc., we get.  Whether we get to play in right field, or pitcher, if we’re on the field, we’re on the field because God allows us to.  On His team, there are no unimportant positions.  What Korah neglected was that He was being used by God in an equally important way, just not in the way Moses was.

How many stories have we heard in the past of athletes who had to ride the bench and play 2^nd or 3^rd string before they got their ultimate shot?  It’s like how God works with us … preparing and preparing and preparing until one day, he puts us in the game … and then we get our shot.  Beforehand, though, we have to be willing to be on the bench and do our part in preparing.  It doesn’t mean we’ll always get a shot, but we should prepare like we are just in case; and be grateful even if we don’t.

There are no insignificant roles, just people who treat significant roles insignificantly.  God forbid that be us!  Let’s ask God to prepare our hearts this week for whatever roles he has in store.  Ask Him to help us be as joyful in the sweeping of the parking lot as in being the senior pastor.  To God, all the jobs are the same … and they’re all His.

Serving God,

MR