Faithfulness

Numbers 22:31-23:30; Psalm 58; Proverbs 11:12-13

 

The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. – Numbers 22:35

 

[Balaam] answered, “Must I not speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?” – Numbers 23:12

 

Isn’t this striking? Balaam is not an Israelite, and he is working face-to-face with one of their enemies, Balak king of Moab. The only way that God would allow him to even get together with Balak was if Balaam agreed to say speak only God’s words. But isn’t this striking that someone who was not one of the Israelites would seek to be faithful to God’s words?

 

Yes, we know the faithfulness to God’s words was temporary. We know Balaam was practicing sorcery (see 24:1). But even outsiders who have been given the rule, “Say only what God says,” know what that looks like and how to apply it.

 

How much more should we, God’s people, who have received the words of God from the Word of God and who have been filled with His Spirit to be commissioned as Christ’s witnesses—how much more should we be faithful to say only what God tells us? We know the power of God. We know His goodness. We know His words are truth. And we want to see His victory, because His wins are our wins. Why would we ever deviate from what He’s told us? Why would we ever be unfaithful to His words? Why would we ever spout off our own ideas?

 

Father, make me a faithful man, a faithful servant, a faithful prophet. May I watch and listen to You. May I say what You say, do what You do, work where You work, love as You love. May I faithfully represent You (to the extremely limited extent of my abilities) so that a watching world will know Your will through me.