Jump Start # 771

Numbers 16:1-3 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

Our passage today takes a look at an uprising against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. There were many unhappy campers in that group that seems to have been led by Korah. The steps that they took are classic and are repeated in many organizations today.

• Korah first of all did not recognize nor accept that Moses and Aaron had been chosen by God.
• Korah felt that everyone else in the nation were as good as Moses and Aaron, “For all the congregation are holy.”
• Korah stirred up 250 leaders, men of renown. Seldom does one speak out alone.
• Korah called an assembly and spoke out against Moses
• Korah failed to acknowledge the good that Moses had done, including standing up to Pharaoh and leading the nation out of Egypt. All that was forgotten.
• What was coming was the rejection of Moses and Korah taking over the helm of the ship.

This was a mutiny. In churches today, this kind of spirit leads to a division or a split. There are several terms we use to describe this spirit: “backseat driving,” “arm chair quarterback.” Korah thought he could do a better job. Everyone does. Have you noticed how many people think they could do a better job at being President than the one we have? Or, how much better I could be at leading the church? Or, how much better I could do the job than the CEO of the company? Or, how much better I would be as a preacher?

Anybody can criticize and they usually do. There is a lot of things that go on with leadership that most do not see. Getting people to work together and keeping the mission of the organization going is a huge job. It’s more than just barking out orders and sitting in the big chair. Years ago, when I was just a young puppy at preaching, I had a guy chew me out at the door. He felt that if I had all week to work a sermon that I should have done better. He was really giving it to me. I had about enough of this guy so I apologized and told him he was right. I said in fact, I’ll let you take the sermon this coming Sunday. I reminded him that he had two classes to work on that week, the bulletin to write, an evening sermon to work up,  and about a dozen other little things to do plus meet with about four or five people. I told him I’d take the week off and learn from him. I was serious. I think he saw that in my eyes. He was stunned. He said there was no way. He claimed he needed more time to prepare. I told him that was all the time I had. He thought for a moment and then apologized. He later became one of my greatest supporters.

We can look at one decision, one sermon, one action and think, I can do better than that. Maybe you could. But with everything else, maybe you couldn’t. Everyone has an off day. Everyone gets tired and stressed. Even Moses had some bad moments.

Korah’s problem was that he was causing a faction. He should have never talked and complained to others. Mistake one. He should have prayed about this, mistake two. He should have spent a day watching all that Moses did, mistake three. He should have recognized that God had chosen Moses and this was a divine mission, greatest mistake. In rejecting Moses, he was rejecting God. That would cost Korah his life.

People do not know how to handle disagreements. They want to blow things up and make them worse than what they are. Somehow they feel safer with others so they are always compelled to tell others and find a group of sympathies who will stand behind him. There is generally one Korah in the group. A ring leader. A voice. The loudest complainer. Not happy. Never content. Always seeing the bad and never the good. They love to point out mistakes, faults and wrongs.

There are proper ways to do things. Being a pit bull is not one of them. Gathering a crowd and making demands is not one of them. Making threats is not one of them. Suggesting a division is not one of them. Korah is a classic example in what not to do.

If you are bothered by something, go first to the person responsible. Don’t rally the troops. Put down the guns and the threats. Go with the spirit of helping. Go as a coach not the enemy. Be humble. Set up a time to talk about the things that bother you. Don’t use phrases like, “Everyone is upset,” or, “I know a ton of people who agree with me.” That doesn’t help things. State your feelings calmly. Offer suggestions from your perspective. Then LISTEN. There will probably be things that you have not thought about or even realized.

Habakkuk complained to God about the violence and that God wasn’t doing anything. God responded. He said, “You wouldn’t believe” what I am doing (Hab 1:5). That is often the case. We think we know what is going on and we don’t. Talking calmly, in a non-threatening way is the best way. Appreciate the good that your leaders have done. Recognize that it is hard work.  And finally, there will be some decisions that you may not agree with. Leaders have to make them. Hopefully they have made them with prayer and what is best for the whole group. If you live by the motto, “my way or the highway,” you will find yourself bouncing from job to job and church to church and maybe even marriage to marriage. The Bible tells us to be subject to one another. Pride, stubbornness and selfishness get in the way of unity. Korah is a prime example of that.

There is a right way and a wrong way of disagreeing. Would you agree with that? This works at home…at church…and on the job! Don’t find yourself standing with the Korah’s of the world. God caused the earth to open up and they were swallowed up. Their little uprising failed.

Roger