One passage that convicted me recently is the story of Miriam & Aaron speaking against Moses found in Numbers 12. Aaron and Miriam (Brother and Sister to Moses who was the leader of God’s People while they wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt and before entering the Promised Land) began talking behind Moses’s back to the other Israelites and slandering Moses for taking a wife who was not an Israelite.

So what? A brother and sister got annoyed with their brother who was placed in authority over them, and they decided to vent a bit to their friends - no big deal, right? Wrong!

God called Moses, Aaron, and Miriam together to come to the tent of meeting and God appeared before them in a pillar of cloud. God rebuked the brother and sister and his anger burned against Aaron and Miriam for speaking against his chosen prophet Moses. When God left them, Miriam was struck with Leprosy as a punishment. (Aaron being the high priest for the people of Israel at the time could not suffer a skin condition while still serving in his role, so God only struck Miriam.) Aaron saw Miriam’s condition and cried out to Moses to forgive them for their gossip.

Here's the crazy part. Moses could have looked at his siblings and said “REALLY? After all the nasty things you said about me to the whole nation, You want me to forgive you just like that?” Moses could have held anger and resentment towards his siblings for the ways they wronged him. But you know what he did instead?

Moses cried out to God to heal his sister. God told them she would be healed after 7 days, but during that 7 days she needed to be kept outside the camp. Miriam was sent outside the camp with those who were unclean, and after 7 days she was healed and returned to camp.

This story struck me because it teaches the power of our words and the dangers of speaking against those who are righteous in God’s eyes. Psalm 37: 12-13 warns, “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.” God protects the righteous so this is an important reminder that you should never speak against your brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead strive to be righteous before God. As Psalm 37 continues to verses 30 & 31, “The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.”

“Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves” -Proverbs 11:17

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash