They said, "Does the LORD speak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us?" And the LORD heard [it]. - Numbers 12:2
Have you ever lost confidence in your leaders? Maybe it was a boss, or a president, or a pastor, but sometimes our leaders make mistakes or bad decisions and we think that we could accomplish the task better than they. Fact is, we might even be able to do a better job, if it was our job to do.
It seems that this is what Aaron and Miriam thought about Moses after he decided to marry a Cushite, which led Miriam (in particular) to verbally challenge his authority. Unfortunately for her, God happened to be listening when she spoke of insurrection (isn't He always?) and punished her for it.
You see, all authority has been established by God and He had personally chosen Moses to lead Israel; therefore, rebellion against Moses' leadership was also rebellion against God Himself and a lack of trust in His divine decisions. Their selfish rebellion, in effect, said to God, "You messed up." They could have disagreed with Moses' decision and still honored his position, but apparently Miriam's rebellion went deeper than that. It appears that she also questioned God.
Do our leaders make mistakes? All the time. Sometimes they even abdicate their authority by their actions. They can even forfeit their right to lead. They may not be right and they frequently make mistakes, but they are still chosen. Be respectful. Be wise.
God is listening.
Authority exercised with humility, and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live. - C. S. Lewis
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