penguin puzzle

Read this first:

Numbers 13:30-14:4

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh* in the Desert of Paran.* There they reported to them* and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.*

27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!* Here is its fruit.*

28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.* We even saw descendants of Anak* there.*

29 The Amalekites* live in the Negev; the Hittites,* Jebusites* and Amorites* live in the hill country;* and the Canaanites* live near the sea and along the Jordan.*”

30 Then Caleb* silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”*

32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report* about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours* those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.*

33 We saw the Nephilim* there (the descendants of Anak* come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers* in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

14:1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.*

2 All the Israelites grumbled* against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!* Or in this desert!*

3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?* Our wives and children* will be taken as plunder.* Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?*”

4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

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Penguin puzzle

Several years ago, some penguins engaged in a bit of bizarre behavior at the San Francisco Zoo. Six newcomers from Sea World in Ohio managed to persuade 46 locals to follow their lead. The zookeeper said at the time, “We’ve lost control. It’s a free-for-all in here.”

When the new guys showed up, all 52 began swimming around the circular pool from dawn to dusk. It was quite a sight to see them swim and swim and stagger out of the pool at night. Penguin experts were puzzled, but they said that web-footed friends are highly social and are “open to new ideas fostered by newcomers.”

It may be hard to explain penguin behavior, but people can be even more puzzling. As I read the biblical account of what happened soon after Moses led the huge group in their exodus from Egypt, I had to wonder how just a few were able to get the others to follow them in rebelling against Moses (Numbers 13:30-14:4).

After all they had been through—the miraculous escape and parting of the sea—they allowed the bad report of a few spies to turn them into doubting and grumbling rebels. They even wanted a leader who would take them back to Egypt.

I’d like to think that no followers of Jesus today would be so gullible, so foolish, so easily influenced by others. But how many of us have started out on the journey of faith, following Jesus, but have since begun to have second thoughts. We’ve been listening to somebody, maybe even a few friends, who have been suggesting that we’re missing out on life.

But is it too much for us to give our total allegiance to the One who gave His life for us?

-Kurt De Haan (Our Daily Journey)

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ASK YOURSELF:

1. What human relationships can negatively affect your fellowship with Jesus?
   

2. Have we been giving in to peer pressure?
   

3. Have people’s comments swayed your beliefs?
   

4. How will you pursue a deeper passion for Him today?

‘Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character”’ 1 Corinthians 15:33