What do you do when you can see something needs done but it is not your turn, or not your responsibility? Do you do it, remind the party responsible or ignore it? If you do decide to pick up the slack, are you willing about it or thinking I should not have to be doing this. Do you point out to others “So and so said they would do this, but they must have forgot.”
How do you respond when everyone around you is whining or complaining about a circumstance or a persons actions. Do you agree, “Yes this sucks” Confront the negative attitude, try to change the subject or just listen and hold your tongue?
What is the right response? How do we serve as Thermostats in those sort of situations?
Take Moses as an example. There is no doubt He was a man of God, he was a friend of God. God’s favor and protection was in His life. He was loved by God. God did miracle for and through him. Moses did not start out wanting to lead. Recall the burning bush, he was afraid, he did not feel capable, he was not confident in his abilities to lead other or communicate God’s word to Pharaoh. But God saw Moses full potential and He promised to use Moses mightily and to back up Moses words with signs and wonders.
For 40 years, Moses led God’s people through the wilderness. He saw God deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians. He witness God provided them with manna and quail. He saw God Provided water in the dessert. He watched as the presence of God burned like a fire. Moses was responsible before God to lead and teach the Israelites'. To lead them in the ways of God, to bring them to the land God had promised them. For 40 years Moses walked with God as a friend. Yet in the end, Moses never got to step foot into the promised land. He got to see it, but he never had the chance to touch it. Why? How could this man of God miss out?
God had called Moses to be a Thermostat, to lead others. For the most part he did. However on one occasion, he reacted as a thermometer rather then a thermostat. Imagine this, He had led the people 40 years through the desert on a trip that should have only taken 2 weeks. It was not his fault, that God had kept them in the desert. Time and time again these people who had see the miracles and power of God would complain and murmur against God and Moses. They would not learn, they would not trust God they would not obey Him. And so in Anger Moses struck a rock and said that God would provide water to these undeserving Israelites'. However God had told Moses to speak to the rock. for that moment he let the complaints and disobedience of the people get to him and He responded in anger, and frustration. But he knew better.
God still loved Moses, God still favored Moses, God still considered Moses His friend. But Moses missed out on the reward God longed to give him. He missed out on touching the promised land. I will admit that scares me.
Papa, My King, help me to follow after you and challenge others to follow more passionately after you. help me not to blend into the crowd. To lower the standard for comforts sake.
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