Today's encouragement comes from Numbers 12:1a & 2a, where we read these words:
"Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian wo-man whom he had married . . . So they said, 'Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? . . . ' "As we look at these two phrases above, we learn something important. Aaron's and Miriam's problem with their brother (Moses) was that he had gone off and married an Ethiopian woman. They did not like this for some reason. Maybe they were prejudiced against Ethiopians (or Cushites). But let us note *what* Aaron and Miriam *do*: they make their statement about those through whom God speaks a *pretense* (with regard to what it was that *real-ly* bothered them).
This is a very common practice among sinners of all sorts—even religious ones. What they *say* is often not really the issue. Let us keep this principle in mind as we deal with people, especially if we are in any kind of leadership positions. Let us try to understand what the real "rub" is, and not be duped by falsehood.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Bend the greatest strength of your heart in fervent prayer to God against the corruption that troubles you the most.” —Christo-pher Love, in, "The Mortified Christian"]
