God Hears Conversations Differently

We can walk away from a conversation thinking nothing of it. God doesn't.

I was reading about Miriam and Aaron speaking against Moses because of the woman he had married. Honestly, it didn't seem that unusual at first.

People talk about people all the time. We talk about the decisions they make. We call it concern. We call it processing. Sometimes we don't think much about it at all.

But God did.

God wasn't looking at the conversation the way they were. Miriam and Aaron were focused on Moses' choices. God was focused on Moses' faithfulness.

He called Moses, "My servant." He called him faithful in all My house. Then He asked a question that stopped me:

"Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" Numbers 12:8

I couldn't move past that question. Not because Scripture teaches us never to question a leader. Leaders are not above accountability. But this passage made me examine how casually I speak about someone when I do not see everything God sees.

Sometimes we're discussing someone's decisions while God is honoring their faithfulness. God sees what we don't. While we can form an opinion about one decision, God sees years of faithfulness, obedience, humility, repentance, and surrender.

As I kept reading, I wasn't thinking about Miriam anymore. I was thinking about me.

The Word of God isn't just meant to inform us. It's meant to transform us.

I had to look at my own conversations. Do I ever leave a conversation thinking, That wasn't a big deal, while God heard it very differently? Do I focus on someone's choices while God is looking at the posture of their heart?

Then I noticed something else. Moses never defended himself. The meekest man in the room was also the faithful servant of God. People questioned his decisions. They talked about him. Yet Moses remained faithful.

God defended him. There were consequences for Miriam's words.

Then I read something that stopped me all over again. The very man she spoke against cried out to the Lord:

"Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee." Numbers 12:13

I don't know about you, but I want to become that faithful servant. The one who trusts God to be his defender… And still prays for the one who hurt him.

God doesn't think like we do. He hears conversations differently.

If His Word is doing what He says it will do, it will lead me to truth and bring me to repentance. And repentance will lead me to change. The words I speak will change.

Today I am reminded not to casually give my two cents about someone God calls, "My servant."

And if someone gives their two cents about me… May I become more like Moses.