Specificity
This week is on Numbers 4:19-33:
My least favorite parts of the Bible are the endless genealogies and the stultifying detail about the workings of the temple. I don't particularly care what kind of thread needs to be used for the stitching on the collar of Aaron's cousin's butler's cup-bearer's spare cloak, or who was the third son of some random ancestor of king David, and which people are third cousins of which people. Still, this time it caught my attention, probably in light of last week's teaching on delegation.
The temple was a giant tent (not the kind you sleep in) during the time the book of Numbers describes. The tabernacle (tent) had to be packed up and moved from place to place. Naturally, there are a lot of ways for that to go wrong, especially when certain components of the temple are lethally dangerous to untrained people. Before God's management seminar, things probably went like this:
If you've ever had to organize an event where you thought people would just naturally settle into their roles, you've probably watched a similar drama unfold. It's maddening, and also perfectly natural. Or if you've asked to help out with something reasonably technical, only to have no idea where to begin, you can also appreciate the need for specificity sometimes.
My weakness is construction work. I never witnessed any home repair or construction work growing up, so if I try to help someone with it, I usually just end up standing around confused. I don't recognize any of the current steps well enough to know whether I can or should be trying to help with them, nor do I know what any of the next steps might be, or whether they're anything I might be able to help with. So I stand there waiting for something I might recognize, which never happens. Then people start yelling at me for not helping, and I'm just standing there going "Umm...." The only times I haven't done that have been when someone recognized my ignorance and said something like "Hey Lou, can you mix up some cement for us? There are instructions on the bag, and there's a pail in the garage."
I've also been the guy trying to organize work. I ask people for help, but then I don't tell them what to do. If it's something technical, like computer stuff, people end up in the same situation I get in with construction work. They sit there going "Ummm..." until someone gives them something specific to do.
I've read that you can't ask a group of people for help with something, because each person in the crowd will expect someone else to take care of it. You need to single out a specific person and give them something to do, like call an ambulance, or get a manager, or grab the other end of the table you're trying to carry upstairs. People consider this a fairly recent development in psychology, but God told Moses and Aaron thousands of years ago. All we had to do is read the Bible to pick up on it.
God has specific things for us to do. Sometimes we know what those things are. Compare the chaos where nobody really knows what they're supposed to be doing, or thinks others are supposed to be doing those things for them, against when people know what they're supposed to be doing. God's way of giving people specific directions is better.
So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."
The LORD said to Moses, "Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting."This is the service of the Gershonite clans as they work and carry burdens: They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the outer covering of hides of sea cows, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance, the ropes and all the equipment used in its service. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
"Count the Merarites by their clans and families. Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. This is their duty as they perform service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the Tent of Meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest."
My least favorite parts of the Bible are the endless genealogies and the stultifying detail about the workings of the temple. I don't particularly care what kind of thread needs to be used for the stitching on the collar of Aaron's cousin's butler's cup-bearer's spare cloak, or who was the third son of some random ancestor of king David, and which people are third cousins of which people. Still, this time it caught my attention, probably in light of last week's teaching on delegation.
The temple was a giant tent (not the kind you sleep in) during the time the book of Numbers describes. The tabernacle (tent) had to be packed up and moved from place to place. Naturally, there are a lot of ways for that to go wrong, especially when certain components of the temple are lethally dangerous to untrained people. Before God's management seminar, things probably went like this:
Aaron: OK, everybody pick up the temple. Lets get moving!
Moses: OMG, yeah! We're totally late for our trip to the promised land. Hurry!
Kohathites: Hey, this glowing ark thingie looks easy to carry. *GAAAH!* *THE BURNING!* We're not worthy!
[time passes]
Aaron: OK, are we ready to go? Who has the tent?
Merarites: The Gershonites took it.
Gershonites: We thought the Merarites had it! We grabbed the lamp thingies and some of the towels.
Merarites: We thought we were supposed to grab the towels but they were gone, so we just grabbed some rope. What happened to the Kohathites?
Moses: Why are there tent pegs laying all over the ground? And where did those Kohathite-shaped burn marks come from? Come on, people! Carry in, carry out!
If you've ever had to organize an event where you thought people would just naturally settle into their roles, you've probably watched a similar drama unfold. It's maddening, and also perfectly natural. Or if you've asked to help out with something reasonably technical, only to have no idea where to begin, you can also appreciate the need for specificity sometimes.
My weakness is construction work. I never witnessed any home repair or construction work growing up, so if I try to help someone with it, I usually just end up standing around confused. I don't recognize any of the current steps well enough to know whether I can or should be trying to help with them, nor do I know what any of the next steps might be, or whether they're anything I might be able to help with. So I stand there waiting for something I might recognize, which never happens. Then people start yelling at me for not helping, and I'm just standing there going "Umm...." The only times I haven't done that have been when someone recognized my ignorance and said something like "Hey Lou, can you mix up some cement for us? There are instructions on the bag, and there's a pail in the garage."
I've also been the guy trying to organize work. I ask people for help, but then I don't tell them what to do. If it's something technical, like computer stuff, people end up in the same situation I get in with construction work. They sit there going "Ummm..." until someone gives them something specific to do.
I've read that you can't ask a group of people for help with something, because each person in the crowd will expect someone else to take care of it. You need to single out a specific person and give them something to do, like call an ambulance, or get a manager, or grab the other end of the table you're trying to carry upstairs. People consider this a fairly recent development in psychology, but God told Moses and Aaron thousands of years ago. All we had to do is read the Bible to pick up on it.
God has specific things for us to do. Sometimes we know what those things are. Compare the chaos where nobody really knows what they're supposed to be doing, or thinks others are supposed to be doing those things for them, against when people know what they're supposed to be doing. God's way of giving people specific directions is better.
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