Tent Peg Tasks

The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.

Numbers 3:36-37 

If you could travel back into OT history and ask someone from the Merarites’ clan what they do everyday, I wonder if anyone would’ve said she held the position of Tabernacle Engineer.

You: A Tabernacle Engineer, eh? Never heard of it. What do you do?

Miss Merarite: Oh, you know . . . I’m in charge of the tent pegs.

You: Gotcha.

Did the Israelites have the same spiritual gift rivalries that were splitting the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12)? Did the Tent Peg people say, “Because I’m not in charge of caring for the ark, I do not belong to the Israelite community”?  Did the Rope People say, “Because I’m not on the battle frontlines with the other tribes, I’m not part of the Israelites”?

Whether in the Tabernacle or at GEMS, each part is important and needed. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

Your gifts are different than my gifts. That doesn’t mean one of us is more spiritual than the other. It means that God chose to distribute the gifts differently! John the Baptist understood that, his jealous disciples did not. They were upset when the crowds ditched John and followed Jesus. To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven” (John 3:27).

It doesn’t matter if you’re upfront with Moses or cleaning tent pegs with the Merarites. It’s not a matter of title and position, but of how you’re using your gifts. Are you leading to the glory of God or the glory of self? Are you wholeheartedly cleaning tent pegs as if serving the Lord or are you begrudgingly putting in your time? Bottom line: Who’s getting the glory?

He>i: Give thanks for your gift(s) and then commit to using it to the best of your ability for God’s glory and fame.

He who receives greater gifts should not glory in his own merit or consider himself above others, but instead be humble, devout, and thankful.

Thomas a Kempis

 grace and peace,

Lenae