Date: 03-04-2021

Title: Dealing With Conflict

(S) cripture:
    Numbers 16:22 (NLT2) But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”

(O) bservation:
    Koath, Dathan and Abiram have incited a rebellion against Moses and Aaron among the people. Moses tells them that their rebellion is really against God but they do not listen. They have attacked Moses and Aaron’s leadership. Moses tell them to assemble the next morning at the tabernacle and to bring incense burners and then the Lord will show who is holy. When they assemble the Lord tells Moses he is going to destroy the people. Moses and Aaron intercede on behalf of the people and ask God to spare those not guilty of the rebellion. God tells Moses to have them move away from the tents of the guilty and God spares them.

(A) pplication:
    How often to we avoid dealing with conflict and challenges from those that have selfish agendas. Moses gives us a couple of lessons. 1) Remember your call, face the conflict head on and trust God with the outcome. 2) Let the Lord deliver the punishment and discipline, He is much better at it than we are. 3) Pray for and protect the people that are being targeted. If we handle conflict this way, we will have the trust of the people. My uncle Ward, a pastor, gave me this advice about being able to serve as pastor of a church for a long time. 1) Treat everyone with respect. 2) You will have favorites, but you can never play favorites. 3) Deal with conflict immediately, do not let it fester. I tried to practice those three things and I served two churches as pastor, one for 13 years and the next for 12 years and for a Baptist those were both long-term pastorates.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, thank you for Moses and Aaron’s example and for the wise counsel of my Uncle Ward. Thank you for two great pastorates and thank you for my current place of ministry on the staff at New Baptist. Let me continue to practice the wise counsel of scripture and those mentors you placed in my life. Amen