Numbers 32:14-19: a reflection

14“Behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to increase the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all these people.” 16They came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones; 17but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18We will not return to our houses until the children of Israel have all received their inheritance. 19For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan eastward.”

The tribes of Reuben and Gad, seeing good land for their livestock on the near side of the Jordan, ask to settle there rather than crossing over with the rest of Israel. At first this looks like self-interest, seeking their own comfort while others still faced the fight. But when challenged, they make a pledge: We will build for our families here, but we ourselves will go armed before our brothers, and we will not return to our houses until all the children of Israel have received their inheritance. They would not settle into their own ease while their brothers still lacked.

Notice the pledge they made: not to rest in their own provision until their brothers had theirs too. They had found their own inheritance, and might have settled down in it, leaving the others to fight on alone. But they committed to go ahead of their brothers, to stand with them in the struggle, and not to return to their own homes and rest until every tribe had received its inheritance. They would not enjoy their own ease while others still had need.

That is a challenge to a common temptation: to settle into our own comfort and provision, and forget those who still struggle and lack. Once our own needs are met, once we have found our own ease, it is easy to withdraw into it and leave others to their struggles. But these tribes pledged not to rest until their brothers too were provided for. Do not settle into your own comfort while others still lack and struggle. Stand with those in need, help them toward their own provision, and do not simply withdraw into your own ease once your needs are met. As these tribes would not rest until all Israel had its inheritance, be one who does not rest content in your own provision while others still need help.

Lord, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, having found their own good land, pledged not to settle into their own ease until their brothers had received their inheritance too, but to go armed before them and stand with them in the struggle. Challenge me with that. Once my own needs are met, once I have found my own comfort, it is easy for me to withdraw into it and leave others to their struggles. But these tribes pledged not to rest until their brothers too were provided for. Keep me from settling into my own comfort while others still lack and struggle. Help me stand with those in need, help them toward their own provision, and not simply withdraw into my own ease once my needs are met. As these tribes would not rest until all Israel had its inheritance, make me one who does not rest content in my own provision while others still need help. Give me a heart that stands with others until they too are provided for.