Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
“Either you are an agent of change, or you’re destined to become a victim of change. You simply can’t survive over a long term if you insist on standing still” – Norm Brodsky.
Moses was the ‘change agent’ of the Exodus. Those who refused to cheerfully embrace the change of environment, food habits and lifestyle became ‘victims of change’. The signs of resistance to change are ‘complaints’ and ‘criticizing mindset’. Those who hurl objections and disapprovals about changes will become victims of change.
The Israelites ate the bread of tears and drank the water of bitterness rationed to them by the tyrant Pharaoh. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God (Exodus 2:23). Groan is a helpless cry of exasperation and frustration. The Bible doesn’t say that they prayed, they only groaned. The Lord God sent them a deliverer and delivered them out of slavery yet, they whined, grumbled and complained throughout their journey.
There are many who desire change but never enjoy the journey. Inflexibility to change will stop us reaching our destiny. The complaining hoard nostalgically ruminating over the rations that were sparsely supplied to them in Egypt but failed to cherish the Manna that poured down from heaven. We have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! (Numbers 11:6). We will lose the appetite to cherish the present and achieve future goals if we live in the memories of the past. The complaining mob became victims of the change.
Victims of Change:
1. Complain: Complaining is something that infuriates God. Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord (Numbers 11:1). “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails”. We don’t have to pretend that there are no hardships but we must never find ourselves angry and agitated. Adjust your sail, don’t complain.
2. Criticism: The ‘new challenge/change’ is ‘new’ to everyone including the change agent or the leader. Moses was not an experienced tour guide. The journey was new to him as well, yet, the people constantly criticized him. Stop criticizing your boss, spouse or mentor. Work with them and learn through the journey.
3. Catalyst: The very thing that we are complaining about would be the catalyst that carries us to our destination. God gave the travelling rabble a special diet called “Kosher” to stop them from eating everything that was moving or crawling. There were no authorized meat shops or standardized food outlets, so the special diet kept them healthy throughout the 40 year journey. Not one of them was sick or weak. The ‘Black Plague’ swept across Europe between 1346-1352 and killed millions. However, the Jewish community who followed a special ‘Kosher’ diet was not affected by the Black Plague. Hence, the ‘inconvenience’ could be the catalyst of divine protection.
Be a victor through the change not a victim.
Numbers 11:10a The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.
Prayer: Father God, coach me to become a change agent. May I never kick and complain about the changes that are catalysts which carry me to my destiny. Amen
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