What’s Luring You?

I don’t expect any of you out there in the blogosphere ever wish you were a bit more like someone else … do you? Be honest now … it is a problem that has been around since that very first sin.

There are, quite frankly, some disturbing stories in the Bible. This is one of them. The people of Israel have recently rejected the Promised Land and are now subjected to following Moses into the wilderness because of their decision.

Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent ² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. ³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” Numbers 16:1-3

It seems that Korah, Dathan and Abiram had a bit of a meeting with 250 others and have decided that they should be in charge. They definitely out numbered Moses and Aaron.

It’s strange how subtle the lures are to start with. In this story, Korah was a Levite, he was part of the priestly community. He wasn’t, however, Aaron or Aaron’s sons, and there lay the problem. It wasn’t that he wasn’t chosen, it was that he wasn’t chosen to be where Aaron was. It isn’t difficult to think of this as a problem that we can face. I know that I have to keep a close check on myself to not be drawn in by the lure of jealousy or comparison. It is easy even in the blogosphere to compare viewing numbers and influence … and then wish I was someone else. It can happen in the things that I am gifted in and called to do, the bitter taste of comparison and entitlement can creep in and then infect my motives and damage my relationships.

It can even be more blatant like it was with Dathan and Abiram. They were called to be Ruebenites, a specific tribe and people, and possibly community leaders, yet they wanted what they saw elsewhere. They were chasing after power. They influenced others to go along with their ideas too, infecting a number of people with their thinking. It’s amazing how empowered you can feel when you have found someone to agree with your own stinking thoughts, it somehow validates them and you for thinking that way. Even with 250 others in agreement, didn’t make what they did right though.

The group, however, had risen up against those that GOD had chosen. They were full of accusation and criticism. Their jealously and greed for power was dangerous. They believed they were entitled to something better, i.e The Promised Land, despite refusing it when given to them. It doesn’t end well for them.

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: ²⁹ If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart ³² and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. ³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. Numbers 16:25-33

I guess my cartoon is trying to lighten the horror of this account, but this is a serious story with some serious lessons to learn. What is the point of wanting to be someone else, be as good as someone else or be where they are? It has ramifications for those around us because we aren’t being who we are made to be. We can dress it up as ambition or drive but ultimately it is based in the lie that who we are and what we have isn’t enough. The reality though, is that it is a lie.

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. Psalm 23:5-6

There is an enemy that doesn’t want you to be who GOD has created you to be or know how abundant GOD is towards you. If you can be held back, distracted and convinced that your role isn’t enough, if you can be lead into striving to be more like others or get lost in the cycle of accusation, criticism, judgement and entitlement, the enemy will happily take you there. All the time you are drawn to these lures, there is no way that you can become the you that GOD envisioned from the beginning of time. The enemy wants you to be sucked into death and buried there even while you are still breathing much like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and wants you to take others with you too. You being inactive as who you are is exactly where the enemy wants you.

I wonder if you have a someone to pull on your tail and show you what your lures and temptations are? I think we all need someone who will be honest with us even when it isn’t the popular thing to say. If we are aware of the things that lure us, we are better equipped. I can guarantee the enemy is aware of them and will use them at every possible occasion.

Ultimately, I want GOD to change my senses so that I can distinguish between a stinky trap and a table laden with good things. Isn’t that thought that GOD prepares a table, anoints you and gives you more than you can hold an amazing thought? There really is no need to grab it for ourselves.

Katy 😉