PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY -- devotional for April 6, from "Good Seeds"

Moses gathered seventy elders around him, and the Lord dispensed His Spirit among these also, and they prophesied. But then two others, Eldad and Medad, not of the seventy, also prophesied. A messenger brought this news to Joshua in the tabernacle, who desperately urged Moses to restrain them. But Moses said, “Don’t be jealous for my sake, for what could be better than if all God’s people were prophets, and if He would place His Spirit upon them all! (Numbers 11:24-29)

A huge hindrance to the spreading of the gospel and the maturing of the saints is jealously in the leadership. (Amateurs do just a so-so job at being jealous, but professionals are the real experts!) What happened with Moses also happened with Jesus. It seems a Samaritan town refused hospitality to Christ as He was making His way to Jerusalem, causing such anger and jealousy for their Master’s honor that His followers urged Him to rain fire down upon these no-goods, even as God had done to Elijah’s rivals (see Luke 9:52-56). And on another occasion the apostle John (later called “The Beloved” but in these earlier times he and his brother had another moniker: “Sons of Thunder”) reported to Jesus of someone casting out demons in Christ's name, though he was not a “card carrying disciple!” “You’ll be proud to know we stopped him, Lord!” But it was this attitude among the faithful that needed to be stopped! “Was he saying or doing anything out of character from what we have been saying and doing, and from God’s Word and ways?” “Well, no.” “Then couldn’t we assume him to be on God’s side, as we presume to be? And if he’s not against us, logic dictates that he’s for us – so…” (and now notice our Lord’s voice raising just a bit), “…forbid him not!” (see Luke 9:49-50). How many so-called Christian leaders today would take their followers up on just such a plan of forbiddance, motivated by professional jealousy. But not Christ, or that one who walked so closely “in His steps” – Moses. Both men not only corrected their followers, but turned their rebuke into a teaching moment: “I didn’t come to destroy people, but to save them,” said Jesus. “What you see as a liability to God’s kingdom, I see as an asset,” said Moses. This happens all too commonly in churches today between pastors and those who serve with them (under them, say some – but then, there’s the rub!) These others may be led by God to go in a very different direction. May that pastor’s tribe increase who releases his hold on his partner in ministry, and trusts God to work it out for HIS best plan – for it is the tribe of Moses – and of our Master, too!