Numbers 12:10-16: a reflection

10The cloud departed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, please don’t count this sin against us, in which we have done foolishly, and in which we have sinned. 12Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13Moses cried to the LORD, saying, “Heal her, God, I beg you!” 14The LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.” 15Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days, and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again. 16Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

When Miriam is struck with leprosy after she and Aaron had spoken against Moses, Moses' response is not to gloat or to leave her to her fate, but immediately to intercede for her. Moses cried to the LORD, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. The very one whom Miriam had wronged, spoken against, now cries out to God on her behalf, begging for her healing. He does not hold her sin against her or delight in her suffering; he prays for the one who had wronged him. This is a striking picture of returning good for wrong, of interceding for those who have hurt us. Moses interceded for Miriam, who had wronged him. The one wronged prayed for the one who wronged him. Moses returned prayer for the wrong done him. He interceded for the one who had hurt him.

Notice Moses' response to being wronged. Miriam had spoken against him, challenged him; and now she was struck with leprosy. Moses could have felt vindicated, could have left her to suffer the consequences of her sin against him. Instead, he immediately cried out to God for her healing: Heal her, God, I beg you. His concern was not for his own vindication but for her good; he interceded for the very one who had wronged him. This is a beautiful and challenging example. When we are wronged, our instinct can be to feel vindicated at the wrongdoer's downfall, to hold the wrong against them, even to be glad at their suffering. But Moses prayed for the one who had hurt him, sought her good, interceded for her healing. This points toward the way of Christ, who taught us to pray for those who wrong us, and who prayed for those who crucified him. To intercede for those who have wronged us, to seek their good rather than delight in their downfall, is the better way. Moses shows us praying for the one who wronged him. To seek the good of those who hurt us is Christ's way. Return prayer, not gloating, for the wrong done us.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to intercede for those who have wronged us, to seek their good rather than delight in their downfall, as Moses cried out to God for Miriam's healing. When we are wronged, we can feel vindicated at the wrongdoer's suffering, hold the wrong against them, even be glad at their downfall; but Moses, wronged by Miriam, immediately interceded for her, begging God to heal her. This points to the way of Christ, who prayed for those who wronged him. When someone wrongs you, do not delight in their downfall; pray for them and seek their good, as Moses interceded for Miriam. Intercede for those who have wronged you and seek their good rather than delight in their downfall, as Moses, when Miriam who had spoken against him was struck with leprosy, did not gloat or leave her to her fate but immediately cried out, Heal her, God, I beg you; for when we are wronged our instinct can be to feel vindicated at the wrongdoer's suffering, to hold the wrong against them, even to be glad at their downfall, but the better way, which points toward Christ who prayed for those who crucified him, is to intercede for those who have hurt us, seeking their good and praying for them rather than delighting in their downfall, so that we do well to return prayer for wrong as Moses did for Miriam.

Lord, when Miriam is struck with leprosy after she and Aaron had spoken against Moses, Moses' response is not to gloat or to leave her to her fate, but immediately to intercede for her. Moses cried to the LORD, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. The very one whom Miriam had wronged, spoken against, now cries out to you on her behalf, begging for her healing. He does not hold her sin against her or delight in her suffering; he prays for the one who had wronged him. This is a striking picture of returning good for wrong, of interceding for those who have hurt us. Show me Moses' response to being wronged. Miriam had spoken against him; and now she was struck with leprosy. Moses could have felt vindicated, could have left her to suffer. Instead, he immediately cried out to you for her healing. His concern was not for his own vindication but for her good; he interceded for the very one who had wronged him. This is a beautiful and challenging example. When I am wronged, my instinct can be to feel vindicated at the wrongdoer's downfall, to hold the wrong against them, even to be glad at their suffering. But Moses prayed for the one who had hurt him. This points toward the way of Christ, who taught us to pray for those who wrong us, and who prayed for those who crucified him. Take that to my heart, for I am called to intercede for those who have wronged me, to seek their good rather than delight in their downfall. When someone wrongs me, keep me from delighting in their downfall; help me pray for them and seek their good, Lord, as Moses interceded for Miriam and as Christ prayed for those who wronged him, returning prayer for wrong rather than gloating over those who have hurt me.