The Right Message

Scripture Texts: Numbers 14; Deuteronomy 1:29-46; Hebrews 3

The spies come back from surveying the promised land and not only give a negative report they begin to spread messages around the camp that are negative. Before long the people begin to believe the negative messages and complain to Moses and declaring to go back to Egypt. This round of complaining goes to a new level and the people begin to look for a new leader who will do what they want, go back to Egypt.

The entire community began to buy into the negative message and joined in the complaining to Moses. It is easy to wonder if there were some that were complaining but did not really believe what they were complaining about. That is to say, they got caught up in the negative message and taken for the ride of complaining and demanding new leadership.

Being drawn into false messages has a way of capturing us. Further, it has a way of causing us to do things that we could not imagine. For the Israelites this meant complaining and losing their chance to enter the promised land. It also breeds disobedience. After the people felt bad about their complaining they decided they were ready to enter the land, except now God told them not to go. They went anyway and many were killed. All of this began by believing the false message.

In our marriages we must be careful what messages we allow to take root in our lives. This is true from the stand point of each person, and from the stand point of our lives as a couple. In our present age we live in the midst of constant information and a constant bombardment of messages. We must be discerning which messages we give space to in our lives.

We must also take care in the messages we send our spouse. Remember that messages come in verbal and non-verbal forms. The way we talk to, or talk about our spouse sends a message. The ways we pay attention to our spouse sends a message. Even, and especially, the little things we do send a message to our spouse. As we see with the Israelites and many others since it is easy to get captured by the wrong message. Therefore, we must make every effort to send good and positive messages to our spouses, and help them get captured by them.