Daily Devotions
How To Respond to Disrespect
Reading for February 18th: Numbers 16-17
They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" When Moses heard it, he fell on his face...
Numbers 16:3-4
Disrespect...
To many, this is the greatest sin. Every other sin can be forgiven, but if someone disrespects them, that is simply unforgivable. Why?
Because we are idolaters. We do not worship idols made of wood or stone; we worship ourselves! When someone attacks our reputation or does something to diminish the honor we feel is our due, that is counted as blasphemy. They have profaned our idol. They have attacked the thing we hold most dear. They have committed an unforgivable sin.
Moses didn't worship himself, he worshiped God. He wasn't concerned with defending himself. When his honor was attacked and his authority was questioned by his enemies... he fell on his face. He was not so consumed by pride that he felt he had to fight back because he had been "dissed"... he fell on his face.
Most conflict starts with an inflated (and idolatrous) view of self. Few of us can humbly fall to our face before those who unfairly criticise us.
Moses understood something most of us fail to see, and that is we can only truly be exalted when we humble ourselves before the Lord (James 4:10).
O Father, forgive us for our selfish pride. Help us to give up our idol. Help us to crucify self.
