Candor vs Tact

What kind of friend do u find most likeable on FB? Mine… a friend comes into mind for her candor.. I like her posts because she can be candidly funny.

What kind of inspirational speaker do u find most inspiring? Mine.. two friends come to mind: one speaks of all her achievements and how she achieve them; the other shares her success stories and candidly tells of her not-so-successful ones. Of these two, i prefer the latter.

And so I want to talk about candor. What does it mean to be candid? To be candid is to be honest, frank and speaking the truth without a facade. For me, the word seems to carry a sense of happiness and brightness. I searched for its origin. In latin, it is whiteness. Words associated with candor are integrity, sincerity, fairness, guilelessness and naiveté.

To be guileless and naive is to be childlike – without deceit. How does a child do that? At times, to the point of being rude, right? But we know that behind his truthfulness, he did not mean to hurt. Let me illustrate an example: I was embarrassed when my young daughter candidly told a friend that her gift was too small to fit her. She answered in reply to the friend’s asking. She was too young to be tactful about it.

Tact is sensitivity, understanding and thoughtfulness in dealing with difficult situations. Its Latin origin is to touch, or sense of touch.

I appreciate the candor of my adult friends and I observed that my child needs tact in her candor. What is the difference of their candor? The candor of my friends is illustrated when they shared truths about themselves – even their own weaknesses or the not-so-good stuffs in their lives to share lessons they learned. Candor is authenticity. On the other hand, I teach my child that she needs to be tactful even as she is honest.

The Bible sums it up nicely: Speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15) Paul taught the Ephesians to grow in Christ. To be mature in Christ is about integrity and about love. How? We need to be honest with each other and we need to be sensitive to one another. Candor with tact – speak the truth in love.

Danny’s Flashlight

Light of the world, a lamp in the dark, a city set on a hill.. These words remind me of my friend, Danny. When? When he was fighting and dying of cancer… How? Let me share an excerpt of the eulogy I wrote for him some 10 months ago.

On 4/9, Danny said: I’m stable but in pain. feels like a dog w/ sharp teeth biting my right chest n wont let go. I’m surviving thru much prayers esp at night I cant lie down. God is good. He makes me sleep when I’m exhausted. I’m truly thankful for that.

From 5/25-27: Scan results out, no good. He said: God knows what’s next. Don’t worry. I’m totally at peace. Pray for less pain. I don’t want my family to be affected when I whine or cry in pain. Thanks. I cannot explain the peace that I feel now.
“it’s not as bad as it sounds. God is good no matter how this progresses. I’m totally at peace. No worries. Thank you for prayers.”
“Let’s hope the med works. God is good. I’m not a bit worried.”

8/25, “I’m not afraid to go. I just ask God for another chance to share w others how good He’s been to me.”

Danny’s words testified that in all things (good n bad) God is good. He loved God and was devoted to Him amidst hardship. He loved people. He was dying and still thinking of God and neighbor. He wanted to donate whatever useful organs he’s got left. He asked for more time even in great pain to tell his stories.

Danny taught me lessons on dying bravely and living brightly even in the deep dark pit of pain. God enabled him to be a light shining in the valley of the shadow of death.

God took him first even though he was the youngest in our barkada. He was strongest when he was weakest because God’s grace was sufficient. Danny shone brightest when it was darkest because God was his light. Today, his voice resonates loudly because God’s Word was the only voice he heard and held on to. His life mirrored his Savior and Lord Jesus.

Today, Danny still speaks to me. Yesterday, his wife told me Danny gave me permission to share his stories whenever possible so people will know his God of grace. I miss Danny often especially when I have questions about the Bible, about things to write, ideas to share. He was a deep thinker, great teacher and fine writer. He’s witty, funny, silly, naughty and many more. Most of all, he’s my friend who loved me and whom I loved dearly. Tears falling as I write these words.

Around 1am today, I woke and could not get back to sleep. I watched some video clips on FB and chanced upon the Red Table Talk of Jada Pinkett Smith with the parents of Ms. USA who committed suicide earlier this year. Near the end of the talk, Jada shared her grief story about losing a dear friend. My takeaway from her lesson: Memories of our loved ones who passed on may fade. One sure thing remains: love.

How true the words from the Bible:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Seeing God’s Face

There once were two friends travelling in a desert. They got into an argument. In the heat of the moment, one slapped the other. The one who was slapped, wrote on the sand: Today, my best friend slapped me.
When they came to an oasis, they decided to take a bath. The one who was slapped, slipped and fell in the mire, started to drown. Her friend pulled her out and saved her life. The one who nearly drowned wrote on the stone: Today my friend saved my life.
Why?
When someone hurt you, write it on the sand where the wind will blow it away. When someone helped you, engrave it on the stone where nothing will erase it.
“For to see your face is like seeing the face of God!” Who said this? To who? how? where? when? WHY?
Who: Jacob
To who: Esau (Jacob’s twin who wanted to kill him.)
Where/When: On the way home to return to his father Isaac; after running away/hiding from Esau.
WHY? Esau wanted to kill Jacob after he stole Esau’s birthright (Gen. 27-28). After so many years of hiding, God told him to go back home (Gen. 31:3).
Jacob feared that Esau might still be mad at him and ready to kill him:
1) He prayed to God about his fear (32:9-12).
2) He planned and strategised what he’s going to do to meet Esau (32:13-21).
3) He changed his plan again when he saw Esau (33:1-3).
Then what? I could imagine how pleasantly shocked Jacob was as I read v. 4
But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
The brother-turned-enemy became his brother again. Jacob exclaimed: Seeing you is like seeing the face of God! Why? Because now you have received me favourably.
Lessons to learn:
Favour – an attitude of approval or liking; an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual.
Indeed, what a joy it is to have favour with God and man – that is how Jesus was described when he was growing as a boy. The same was described of Samuel: that he grew in favour with God and man.
Am I not happy when people affirm me? Do I not find satisfaction in gaining the approval of friends and family? How comforting is it to receive a kind word, warm hug and a firm pat on the shoulder when I’m feeling down! Whatever blessing I have, is it not a favour – an act of kindness from God beyond what is due me?
How many of my friends and family members or even strangers do i see as like seeing the face of God? Perhaps, many are, in different ways at different times, sometimes taken for granted?
When people see me, will they say that seeing me is like seeing the face of God? Do I extend the same favour that God gives me to others who need it? Do I forgive as God forgives? Am I kind as He is kind? How do I treat those who have wronged me? What is my attitude when I am the one who has done wrong? How do I extend mercy? How do I receive grace?

The Power of Influence

Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character. ~ (1 Corinthians 15:33)

I remember in Chinese class during high school, there’s story of a mother who moved house 3x because she didn’t want her son to be influenced by bad neighbours.

The background on the verse Paul wrote the Corinthians was that there were people who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. Easter is coming. Some call it Resurrection Sunday. In the passage, Paul argues that the resurrection of Jesus is an important truth of our faith. Paul taught the Corinthians not to be misled by bad company. Indeed we need to beware who influence our thoughts and who influence us in our daily life.

Today, we are constantly bombarded by billboards, TV ads, social media, and information technology, etc. Popular movie and sports personalities, religious and political leaders all have their say and are greatly impacting the lives of many. Parents, we need to teach our children to stick close to God – read the Bible and pray for wisdom to differentiate the right from wrong. We must be hands-on in our guidance. Do we influence them or do their friends influence them more? Are their friends God-fearing? Are we aware what they are reading? Who their friends are? What they do when they are together? What kind of music, movies and video games do they like? All these in different minute ways affect their thoughts, speech and actions. In the end, they shape the character of the person.

When I was young, I followed my more influential and more dominant friends around – they were the leaders in school and at church. I am thankful that my mom was a great influence in my life. Being a teacher, she taught me the disciplines of responsibility and diligence. I didn’t realise that in things that I do at church, people also followed what I did. I discovered that I too can influence people instead of just being influenced. As I grow older and after I got married, hubby influenced me a lot. I learned and am still learning to pick up the good and discard the bad.

Bottom line: Good company promotes good character. Bad company corrupts good character. Birds of the same feather do flock together but flock with the good birds and you’d be transformed to be a better bird.

Dancing Lessons in the Pandemic

I wrote this piece 8 years ago today. But its lessons apply today more than ever – even we can no longer dance together physically because of Covid. I learn anew what it means to dance with God in the pandemic.

This morning as I was dancing, many thoughts came to mind about living life and dancing:

1. As i kept my eyes on our instructor, I was able to follow each of his move and step no matter how fast or how new the move was…. same in life, as I keep my eyes on my instructor in life, I am able to follow and be attuned to his move and be in step with Him.

2. This familiarity is not built on a day of dancing nor even a few sessions each week; I started out as a newbie – learning the style and music the instructor gave us – which i have been joining for years now.. It also needs consistent and persistent regular practice dancing with him.. same with our Lord – to know Him – i need to be in constant communication with Him – reading His word and listening to Him in prayer and telling him all my cares and concerns..

3. And just when i think that I have enough sweating and panting, jumping and twisting, i realised that the instructor is just warming up – he is leading us into the climax of our dance sessions – the steps get more challenging – i feel like panting and out of breath.. but I had to keep on to go to the next level.. Same with God, just when i think i have hurdled a difficult lesson, he gives me more challenging ones to learn.. He is just warming up and I sometimes feel like i’m so out of breath.. but i need to keep on..

4. When it comes to my dance class, my classmates are as important as my instructor. Their enthusiasm inspire me. Those who dance better than I do – are my guide when the instructor takes his break or stops even for a moment. I look to them if i cant remember the next step.. I also try to emulate their movements, their energy level, their high spirit, even their sexy moves…They inspire me to give my best and my all. Same in my Christian journey, i look to my spiritual mentors and leaders – those who model the true Christian spirit of joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness and self-control. No Christian can survive life’s challenges alone. A piece of coal gets cold all by itself – it can only burn and produce heat when it is put in a heap of coal.

5. Classmates who are not as gifted in dancing, also have their lessons for me to learn.. I have a classmate who should be graded no. 1 for her good attitude and effort she puts into each session. What she lacks in coordination and kinesthetics intelligence, she more than makes up with her zeal and enthusiasm. This morning, she was going in the opposite direction as the rest of us. She even has the ability to laugh at herself. And all of us were just enjoying her moves in spite of it all. in a similar way, in the Christian faith, we have different level of maturity in the school of faith, but we all have something to learn from one another. It’s not about who was Christian the longest. It’s not about who knew more of theological stuff or about who serve and do more ministries than others. It’s about how we love God and live out our faith in the minute trivial routines of everyday living.

To Eat or Not To Eat

I once heard that food placed before the dead in the ways of ancestor worship is tasteless and bland. (e.g. This is from someone who works at a memorial home in the context of food sacrificed to the dead – placed in front of the coffin.)

I do not know whether the food was cooked bland since it’s not intended to be consumed by the living but just put there to display OR the food was ‘symbolically’ consumed by the spirits which then made them tasteless. Now this latter possibility makes me think – I would not want to eat such foods.

Sacrificing food to idols or ancestral worship does not happen only in today’s Chinoy (Filipino-Chinese) context. It was the same in the days of the Corinthian church. In fact there was such strong disagreement on this issue – to eat or not to eat food sacrificed to idols that Paul had to write an entire chapter to teach them what to do. (Read 1 Corinthians 8)

Principle 1: To eat or not to eat depending on your own belief or conscience. (vv. 4-7)
There are two schools of thoughts:
1) Eat: vv. 4-6
We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

2) Not to eat: v. 7
But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, they believe the food is unclean.

Principle 2: v. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

This issue of whether to eat or not to eat food sacrificed to idols is not a doctrinal issue. A doctrinal issue is one that affects our understanding of God, His Word, about Jesus , His salvation, and our relationship with God.
Eating or not eating such foods or whatever foods will not make us know God more or less. It is not a sin to eat such foods nor is it a sacrificial or meritorious act not to eat… or vice versa. We are not sinning if we do not eat nor are we gaining any reward if we do.

Principle 3: v. 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

When I eat because I believe that it is alright to do so and it is my right to eat as I want, yet someone who does not believe or think the same way as I do, eats the food against his conscience, then I am causing him to do wrong – to do something that he thinks is not right. I am causing him to sin. Then it is better I do not eat at all.

Let me share my story.
I have a Buddhist friend who eats only veggies on certain months and days of the year. She likes to cook and treats us at her home. One time, she wanted to treat me coz I treated her before. You know this Chinese habit of ‘Han tsi hey oh.’ Literal translation: I give you sweet potato, you give me taro. And so she insisted that she’s treating me to snack after our dance class. But that day, she’s vegan. I said I will eat whatever she’s eating. And that’s what we did. We shared some food according to her diet.

While this is not exactly about food sacrificed to idols, the principle remains: Eating for others. 😉😋🤪 In my example, I was with an unbeliever. I should not be critical of her eating habits. It is about respect.

With believers, we need also to respect one another – each according to his/her own thinking and habits. We do not judge or look down – thinking we are more knowledgeable than others. Read 1 Cor. 8:1-3

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

Bottom line: Love builds up. Whatever we do, we need to do with love.
Knowledge (self-righteousness) puffs up – it’s like blowing air up your behind – it’s empty air. Those who think they know it all do not know that they still have more to know and learn about.

Principle 4: Let love motivate us and not self-righteousness.

To eat or not to eat… it does not matter. What matters is whether we eat or not eat – according to how we love our neighbour.

God’s Face: Seeing and Being

There once were two friends travelling in a desert. They got into an argument. In the heat of the moment, one slapped the other. The one who was slapped, wrote on the sand: Today, my best friend slapped me.

When they came to an oasis, they decided to take a bath. The one who was slapped, slipped and fell in the mire, started to drown. Her friend pulled her out and saved her life. The one who nearly drowned wrote on the stone: Today my friend saved my life.

Why?
When someone hurt you, write it on the sand where the wind will blow it away. When someone helped you, engrave it on the stone where nothing will erase it.

“For to see your face is like seeing the face of God!” Who said this? To who? how? where? when? WHY?
Who: Jacob
To who: Esau (Jacob’s twin who wanted to kill him.)
Where/When: On the way home to return to his father Isaac; after running away/hiding from Esau.
WHY? Esau wanted to kill Jacob after he stole Esau’s birthright (Gen. 27-28). After so many years of hiding, God told him to go back home (Gen. 31:3).
Jacob feared that Esau might still be mad at him and ready to kill him:
1) He prayed to God about his fear (32:9-12).
2) He planned and strategised what he’s going to do to meet Esau (32:13-21).
3) He changed his plan again when he saw Esau (33:1-3).
Then what? I could imagine how pleasantly shocked Jacob was as I read v. 4

But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.
The brother-turned-enemy became his brother again. Jacob exclaimed: Seeing you is like seeing the face of God! Why? Because now you have received me favourably.

Lessons to learn:
Favour – an attitude of approval or liking; an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual.
Indeed, what a joy it is to have favour with God and man – that is how Jesus was described when he was growing as a boy. The same was described of Samuel: that he grew in favour with God and man.

Am I not happy when people affirm me? Do I not find satisfaction in gaining the approval of friends and family? How comforting is it to receive a kind word, warm hug and a firm pat on the shoulder when I’m feeling down! Whatever blessing I have, is it not a favour – an act of kindness from God beyond what is due me?

How many of my friends and family members or even strangers do i see as like seeing the face of God? Perhaps, many are, in different ways at different times, sometimes taken for granted?

When people see me, will they say that seeing me is like seeing the face of God? Do I extend the same favour that God gives me to others who need it? Do I forgive as God forgives? Am I kind as He is kind? How do I treat those who have wronged me? What is my attitude when I am the one who has done wrong? How do I extend mercy? How do I receive grace?

A Heart for God

King Saul did not follow instructions. God wanted him to kill King Agag and all the Amalekites. Saul excused himself saying he offered the best of the bounty from the war to sacrifice to the Lord. What was Samuel’s reply to Saul’s excuse?

1 Samuel 15:22-23
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

God only wanted complete obedience. To disobey God is to rebel against Him and disrespect him. To rebel against God is basically a sin of arrogance – the evil of idolatry. Idolatry is worship of anything else above God. Arrogance is worship of the ego – thinking that oneself is better than God.

God does not want my offerings and sacrifices given with a proud heart. He wants an obedient heart – a humble heart willing to listen to His instructions and follow through in complete submission.

David was called a man after God’s own heart. Acts 13:22a. What does a man after God’s own heart do? He will do everything God wants him to do. 13:22b

David and Goliath is a familiar story. This story reminds us of David’s wholehearted devotion to God. He asked 2 questions when he heard Goliath’s insults and taunts. 1 Sam 17:26

“What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? This question is not so much about the rewards for killing Goliath but more about the act of removing disgrace from Israel.

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Here lies the important issue of identities. The uncircumcised Philistine insulted the Living God.

When Saul questioned his ability to fight Goliath, David again pointed to God. God enabled him to kill lion and bear to protect his sheep. David believed that God would help him to defeat Goliath.17:34-37

David was just a shepherd boy sent on an errand to bring food to his brothers at war. He did not expect to kill a giant. He was no soldier. But he had a heart for God – a brave one. He was brave because he experienced God’s presence in whatever he’s been tasked to do whether as a shepherd, an errand boy or an avenger for God.

Today, whatever I do, whether to care for my family, cooking, cleaning, washing, mopping, praying, or to extend a helping hand to someone in need, to listen, to hug, to encourage, to comfort, to celebrate or to grieve, to be present with an open palm of generosity… do I do all these with a heart for God?

God said “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7

How is my heart?

How I Laughed when I wanna cry…

“Humor is a distraction.” says a friend. I agree. Why? Coz when I was upset, trying to stay away from further arguments with hubby, I’d watch rom-com. It’s cathartic to cry and/or laugh: to de-stress and let myself be distracted from the sad things in life.

Last week, hubby and I went on an afternoon ride (pasyal sa Luneta-along-Manila-Bay) to see the sunset. It’s our new normal Sundates: driving around the city to see the sites where we used to date as bf/gf, where we liked to go pre-COVID days. It’s time/cost efficient: no traffic, no shopping, no resto eating, just jollibee drive-thru (yumburger meal) for me. And so I took a piece of fries to put in my mouth.. 😂 right into my mask. 😆😆😆 It felt really good- to laugh at myself!

One time, I went to buy coffee capsules for hubby. I took out my PWD (person with disability) ID, the cashier asked: Mam, may authorization letter? (Do you have an authorization letter?)
Huh? Ako nga yan eh! (That’s me!)
Ah, d kasi mag-kamukha. (You look different from the pic.)
Pano mo alam, naka-mask nga ako? (How did you know with my mask on?)
Perhaps my brows looked different? Oh right, I realize now I did not wear glasses on my ID. 🤪 And so we all had a good laugh – me, the cashier and the sales assistant. We could not see each other’s smiles but we certainly heard our laughters.

Years ago, a day before I was due for surgery from my broken ankle, a friend sent me a video of the barkada (our high school gang) laughing so hard after a ride in the amusement park. Imagine middle-aged men having fun from a joyride! I asked him why they’re laughing – secret daw! 🙄😏 He’s the friend who said humor is a distraction.

A cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22). Humor is indeed a distraction. It diverts our attention from the pain that we’re feeling.

And so let me share with you – one of my secrets: how I coped with depression in the pandemic: I had bonding with my friends (in groups or 1-on-1). We talked. We laughed and cried together. Confession: It’s me who cried. It felt so good to be able to cry in front of them, even more so 1-on-1 as I bared my soul to them.

Are you sad, my friend? Call a friend. Share the burden… share the sadness. God said: It’s not good for the man to be alone (Gen. 2:18). This is not just about marriage. This is true for all mankind. It is not OK to be not OK alone!

Here are related posts from my blog.. click and read my stories:
https://marlenelimgo.wordpress.com/2020/11/27/its-not-ok-that-im-not-ok/

https://marlenelimgo.wordpress.com/2020/12/19/how-i-cope-with-depression-in-the-pandemic/

Trial in the Wilderness

In the Old testament of the Bible, in Numbers 12, we see a trial of a different kind.
Plaintiffs: Miriam and Aaron
Accused: Moses
Crime: Marriage with a Cushite

Note: Cush or Kush was the eldest son of Ham, a son of Noah. He was the brother of Canaan (land of Canaan), Mizraim (Egypt) and Phut (Somalia). Cush is an ancient territory that is believed to have been located on either side or both sides of the Red Sea. “Cush” is… ancient Ethiopia. (taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cush_(Bible))

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this.

The plaintiffs questioned the authority of their youngest brother. “Is he the only prophet here? Are we not also to be heard? Don’t our words count as well?” And the Judge called a ‘hearing.’

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Why is this verse inserted here? We will find out later.

4 At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward,

The Judge summoned the accused and the plaintiffs. The court was held at the tent of meeting – Tabernacle; a portable dwelling place of God, where the Israelites congregate to meet God from their exodus from Egypt up to their conquest/entry into Canaan.

6 he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them.

And the Lord pronounced his judgment (v.6-8). He addressed the questions of the plaintiffs. He compared the usual prophets and the unusual Moses. God reveals himself to regular prophets (like Miriam and Aaron) in visions and dreams. BUT God speaks to Moses face to face. He even got to “see” God (See Exodus 33:23).

God vindicated Moses. He gave Moses his credentials: His servant who is faithful in all his house e.g. Moses is the most faithful prophet/messenger/servant in God’s household.
The plaintiffs became the accused. “Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The Judge was very angry with the plaintiffs.

Final verdict: Miriam got leprosy for speaking against God’s faithful servant, Moses.

10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous[a]—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

So Aaron (the plaintiff-turned-accused) made an appeal… not to the Judge (who already left the court), but to the vindicated accused, Moses. Aaron confessed their sin. He admitted that they were foolish. He humbly asked Moses (calling him ‘lord’) to forgive.

13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “Please, God, heal her!”

And the ‘humble’ servant of the Lord (the most humble person on the face of the earth) finally spoke. How? He cried out. He appealed to the Judge to take away the punishment. Appeal denied.

14 The LORD replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.”

And so concluded the trial in the wilderness – a special trial of a different kind.. one where the plaintiffs became the accused and the vindicated accused appealed to the Judge to lighten the punishment of his accusers. How and why?

Now Moses was a very humble, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. (V. 3)

What can we learn from this story?
Lessons On humility:
It is human nature for self-defense when accused. It is not easy to stay silent. Our reputation is at stake. Perhaps Moses stayed silent because what his sister said of him was true. He did indeed marry a Cushite. And God indeed spoke through his siblings as well.

A humble person considers others better than himself. A humble person has no need to defend himself. He is at peace with others and himself. Moses did not retaliate. He even prayed for God to heal Miriam.

Lessons on friendship with God:
Moses was God’s friend and confidante. He was God’s faithful servant. God revealed to Moses his thoughts and plans for the Israel people. Moses talked with God face to face. He asked to see God and God put in the cleft of the rock to cover him and let him see His back. God listened to Moses’ plea for his people – for forgiveness, for mercy to spare them from His wrath.

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! What an honor to be God’s friend! God indeed gives grace to the humble just as he rejects the proud. Moses’ humility puts him in friendship with God. God heard the accusations. God defended him. God lifted him up.

Friendship with God calls for humble obedience to God’s word. It is about being faithful and loyal to God’s cause. It is seeing God in everything. It is opening our eyes and ears to what God has to say. The world distracts us, it clouds our eyes and dulls our ears with pleasures of the flesh, temporal things that give momentary pleasure. Things of the world pass away but the word of God stands forever.

Dear reader, are you friends with God? Read the Bible and know God. Let him be your friend.