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I was reading in Numbers 16 yesterday and this morning. The story of Korah. It is a story of the quest for power by leaders. Not ordinary members of the congregation of Israel, but famous, powerful men. Men in who God had already entrusted great responsibility. The problem? They wanted more.

I was at a meeting once, a couple of decades ago, in which I was being asked to join the sales force for Amway. I didn't know that was what the meeting was about when I agreed to show up, nor did my wife, but once we were there it would have been rude to do what I wanted to do: run away screaming and never go back to that house again... so we stayed. The guy who spoke said something which has stuck with me to this day. He said, "we are not greedy, we just want more."

I didn't catch it then, but I saw later that that was a very nice way of hiding the truth - greed IS wanting more. More than you have, more than somebody else has, more than God may have in mind for you to have... more.

That's what Korah and his henchmen wanted - more. More power. More recognition. They surely did not think they were being greedy, they just wanted a bit more. And if Moses was pushed aside in the process, so be it. In fact, they openly stated that Moses had taken too much power on himself and they deserved some of it, or all of it.

But God had a plan for Israel, and no man or group of men were going to overthrow that plan by force, by persuasion, or by getting the leading clans to riot. God didn't seem to be surprised - He knew how to handle such a rebellion. He caused the earth beneath them to open up and swallow them alive - man, woman, child, even possessions. There was not a trace that they had ever existed when the dust settles. Think that was harsh? Well, warning was given. Not only to the followers of this rebel, but to the others to move away from these wicked men.

Go God! But, uh, Lord? I am part of leadership too. Help me not to get in the way - and most of all: help me not to start wanting ...

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