Help us to follow your leadership, and to help and respect our neighbours.
Ambition is often seen as a powerful motivating force; the drive to better yourself. But it can be a dangerous thing if taken too far.
Now, I'm not saying that it is wrong, but it has to be kept in perspective. Ambition can lead to power and power can corrupt, both in terms of what the person can do and what power does to a person. Of all the world's leaders only Jesus is qualified to be a leader. Both Moses and King David where nearly there. Why? Because they were 'humble' - they didn't want the power but accepted the responsibility. They had power without ambition.
What does the Bible say? God has given us everything. Read Matt6:25-33 A few years ago my dad said he could prove God's existence through his bank balance. Every time things got hard something would come allow to help out. I think I'm in the same boat now. Now that I don't work for the OU full time I don't have a regular income, and with all the money we're spending on the house it might seem a recipe for disaster. But just as things start to get hard I get the insurance money for my car. OK so I can't afford a new LandRover, but this year we've only had a few days of snow, so I haven't really needed one. The Bible says to be content with what we've got, and to be willing to help others in need. Then God will look after us.
The idea of communism is not a recent one. It is an ideal, but unfortunately one that rarely works outside a Christian community (or even in one for that matter!). Because human nature gets in the way. The USSR (as was) tried to enforce communism. But forcing people to share, to think of others as equals tends to have the opposite effect.
So back to the story.
Some of the people were envious of Moses and Aaron's positions. They didn't want a leader who wouldn't do what they wanted. They said everyone was equal (except them – they still wanted to be leaders of their tribes). Basically they didn't want anyone to tell them what to do – we're back to the Adam's sin syndrome – they wanted to be the best! In other words; ambitious.
This was not what God wanted. He knew the people needed a leader, and he had chosen Moses. He had given instructions regarding the tabernacle, and set up the priesthood. It wasn't Moses' authority they were ignoring, it was God's. To demonstrate God asked each head of the tribes to bring a rod. This was a piece of wood, probably used as a walking stick, and very probably dead. They were to leave it in the tabernacle. The rod that budded was to show who God had chosen to act as priest and leader to the Children of Israel.
In the morning, when the people returned, they found that Aaron's rod had not only budded, but had produced almonds as well. It was a demonstration of God's immense power. The rod, joined the bowl of manna in the Most Holy place. God had left something to show everyone who he had chosen.
God wanted a leadership that was best for the people. Sometimes what we want is not what we need!
Now we wait for someone else God has chosen to be the ruler of all peoples – Jesus Christ.
Why did God want someone to rule the people?
What would make/encourage everyone think of others as equals?
Why did God go even further than he said, in not only making the rod bud, but produce blossom and almonds as well?