Flexibility

What I'm Reading Today: Numbers 27-29

There are lots of folks out there who – when talking about God – suggest that one of God's most important qualities is that God is unchanging. There is a popular phrase, for instance, that says, "God: the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow."

While there are some references in the sacred readings of our faith that can be interpreted to suggest such a belief, there are certainly other passages that call such a belief into question. Today's passage from Numbers provides a good example of one such passage.

There was a law established among the Israelites that suggested only a man's son (preferably the eldest) could inherit property. The implication behind that Law was that it was established by God's instruction. In today's passage, however, we hear the story of Zelophehad's daughters who come to came to Moses and Eleazar (the priest) and informed them that since their father died without male heirs they wanted to inherit his property.

Such a request would require change and flexibility.

Moses and Eleazar knew that such a change in the Law would require a higher authority – so the story tells us they took the women's appear directly to God.

Guess what happened?

We are told that God said: "Zelphehad's daughers are right. Give them land as an inheritance among their father's relatives. Give them their father's inheritance."

That story provides an important lesson for those who call themselves followers of God (be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or others). If God is flexible and can work with others to affect the best possible outcome, then shouldn't we be as well.

I would encourage you to carry this story with you in your hearts today. If you find yourself in a situation where your first tendency is to appeal to a rigid and/or dogmatic way of being, remember the story and God's flexibility and entertain the possibility that perhaps you could be flexible too.

Til next time …