Living for ourselves or for others?

Reading from Numbers 10:1-11:23 These stories are about the trumpet signals Moses used to call the people of Israel to action. The departure from the Sinai area. Complaints about no meat to eat. Choosing seventy leaders to unburden Moses from all the responsibility. Mark 14:1-21 Jesus anointing at Bethany. The betrayal. The Last Supper. Psalm 51:1-19 David lamenting his sin with Bathsheba Proverbs 10:31,32 Words of the godly vs words of the wicked In these stories Moses was afraid God would leave him alone with the burden of leadership with the people God had asked him to lead out of slavery. The people seemed only to remember the good things they had left behind in Egypt. Why is it so hard to remember all we have are gifts from God? Is there enough for everyone? Do I have to worry about keeping a share that is sufficiently fair? If I were to think more about whether or not My fiends and neighbors have enough and less about myself, and if everyone did the same, would we all be happier? Would my friends and neighbors be happier? Would I be happier? Who’s words and actions do I have control over? Who’s words and actions do my friends and neighbors have control over? What is God trying to tell Moses and the Israelites in these scriptures? God does not just talk about ideas. God tells us the way it should be. These words are all valuable instructions and lessons about the one true and living God of the universe. In Mark, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law continue to look for a way to capture and kill Jesus. They are being careful not to incite the people to riot. When we make decisions in our organizations, businesses and yes even in our church do we think about the reaction of the customers, owners, members? Of course, we do. Was Jesus ever concerned about how the people would react to what he said or did? Never, what He said and did was correct and right. Acceptance is not the issue. Does He want us to be saved, redeemed? Yes! For sure. But only on the terms of truth. He said “I am the truth and the way no man can come to the Father except through me”. When we are within God’s will, we need not worry about what others think. There is no reason to be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will make mistakes just like David? Will we be eager to repent and make it right with our God? Will we speak the words of a godly person or words of the wicked? Which words are ours and to which words do we listen? He is introducing and teaching. All of this is part of His redemptive process.