"But Balaam replied, 'I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.'" Numbers 23:12
How many times are we faced with a decision to please the crowd, or to please God?
In these types of situations, it can be stressful. But God calls us as
believers to speak his words and to do the right thing - even if it may
result in a negative consequence. When we make decisions based on
principle versus logic or emotion, God will honor that decision in the
long run.
In the Old Testament, there was a Moabite king who was terrified of the
Israelites. His name was Balak son of Zippor. He was frightened
because of what the Israelites had done to the Amorites, and because of
how numerous they were. So, King Balak sent for Balaam to pay him to
place a curse on the Israelites. However, Balaam was a person who would
only "say what God told him to say."
King Balak's messengers visited Balaam and asked him to curse the people
of Israel, as the king's request. But Balaam told them to "stay
overnight," and in the morning he would tell them what God had told him
to say. That night, God came to Balaam and asked him why the messengers
had come to him, and he told them. "But God told Balaam, 'Do not go with
them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!'"
(Numbers 22:12) So Balaam blessed them and told the king, "Even if Balak
were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be
powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God." (Numbers
22:18)
What a courageous example of speaking only God's message. Are you able
to speak only God's message even when influential people or a group of
people are looking for a different message? Pray that God would give
you strength to stand up for what is right in your decisions.
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