Bemidbar (In the wilderness) Numbers 1:1-4:20, Hosea 2:1-22, 1Cor. 12:12-26
The Torah section of this portion deals with the counting of the children of Israel and how this breaks down by tribe. It would have been impressive to see Israel moving about in marshaled array. It would be human nature to trust in their numbers and not in YHVH when going into battle. We can see in Hosea an analogy of Israel as a harlot, trusting in themselves and others, not in YHVH, yet going back to Him when all else fails. Praise Yah for His mercy.
The passage in 1st Corinthians has some good instruction for us today and I would like to focus on some of them.
(I recommend reading all of chapter 12 and 13 to get the full benefit. )
For the body is not one member, but many.
It is easy for us today to look at one another and start comparing ourselves. Look at how different that group is… they are nothing like us, why should we have anything to do with them? Look at the passage, by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, yet as parts of a body are different in look and function, they are still dependent on one another to function as a whole as intended. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? Let us not be jealous nor look down on one another for: But now Yah has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. But Yah has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are varieties of ministries, and the same YHVH.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
It is easy to get distracted by different gifts or a position someone may have. Remember: We shouldn’t think any less or more of a person based on gifts, Yah is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). The gifts of the Spirit are given for the common good of the body. It may not seem fair that you don’t have a particular gift or position. YHVH has it under control, He is fair and just. We all have different gifts, talents, experiences and situations in life but Yah still works all things in all persons.
And I show you a still more excellent way.
These different gifts and various positions are great and desirable, but we find in chapter 13 a greater and more desirable trait that outlast the rest. It is love. Love never fails. Read the chapter to learn more about the attributes of love. We need to remember to keep love for Yah and for one another the main thing. We should not get caught up in position or gifts but concentrate on the "great commandment" as our Savior teaches us (Matthew 22:37-39).