“Combating ‘president’s disease’”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, May 28, 2023
Numbers 11:24-30 (Forward, p. 30) CEV p. 137
If truth be told, I have often been guilty of something that I call ‘president’s disease’. What that consists of is people in authority, in leadership, feeling that they either have to do everything themselves—to make sure that things are done right, they say—or have to micro-manage everything—albeit with the same desired result. But such a strategy is doomed, ill fated, from the very start. Number one, it leads to overwork and burnout on the part of the one suffering from it, number two, it denies others the chance to discover, exercise and grow their own gifts, and number three, it really limits what can be done because it is entirely limited to the time and talents of that one leader.
Moses seems to have been guilty of that at the onset, for his father-in-law Jethro had to reprove him on this count and convince him to farm out, to delegate some of his responsibility (see Exodus 18:21). Here, in today’s passage, God takes this one step further. He is told not only to select seventy capable, respected persons from amongst Israel, but also to have them join him in worship and in hearing from the Lord. And, while this was happening, God promised that He would bestow upon them some of Moses’ authority and power via His Holy Spirit. This was done so that these persons might share some of the responsibility for leading God’s people and not leave it entirely up to Moses. And indeed, this is precisely what happened; other people took some of the load off of Moses’ shoulders, and indeed, were given special gifts thereby. But here an issue arose: Joshua, Moses’ young helper, was concerned for Moses, concerned that somehow Moses’ own authority and power might have been hereby diminished. But Moses interjects, and states that far from that, he wishes that everyone, all of the congregation of Israel, might receive God’s spirit and be especially gifted by God, and become a prophet.
That, precisely is the promise and the gift of Pentecost, that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, young men and maidens, and the elderly as well. Indeed, this promise was to everyone who would repent, turn back to God in faith and be baptized. That is our heritage, our potential. May we like the seventy elders that Moses chose, not only receive this gift but also make use of it. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Forward notes: “But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!’” (verse 29)
“The account of Pentecost in Acts 2 is full of miracles, but in my opinion, the greatest miracle is the willingness of the crowd to listen to the disciples’ message. Try to imagine the apostles engaging a crowd of thousands, all from different cultures, all speaking different languages, in a sermon that probably lasted hours. These apostles were not linguists or trained in the rhetorical arts. Most were fishermen whose public speaking experience probably consisted of selling their catch in the marketplace. Yet these are the people the Spirit used to captivate thousands.
“In Numbers 11, Moses prayed that the Spirit would move all of God’s children to find their prophetic voices. We see the realization of that prayer on Pentecost. The disciples, filled with the Spirit’s power, uncovered the truth that Moses had learned long before: God doesn’t require prophetic perfection; instead, God desires open hearts and the willingness to speak.”
Moving Forward: “Go to church today and celebrate the feast of Pentecost.