By Many or by Few

“Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them….For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.” (Nu 32:8-9, 15 AV)

Discouragement can come by many or by few.  Moses is rebuking the two and a half tribes who wanted to settle on the east side of Jordan as opposed to crossing Jordan.  The LORD gave to the nation of Israel, Canaan.  Not the east side of Jordan.  The Jordan river would be a tactical border for them, protecting them from the likes of Assyria.  Unfortunately, Reuban, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh saw the pastures of the east.  Their pragmatism won out over their call.  They sought an inheritance separate from the rest of the nation.  Above, we see Moses’ response.  He was concerned that if they were to settle, they would discourage the hearts of the rest of the nation.  This would result in the LORD responding as He did the first time Israel refused to trust the LORD.  When they refused forty years ago, God required that generation die off in the wilderness.  Moses is concerned the LORD would do the same thing with this generation if they did not go up and conquer Canaan.  The first time, it was ten of twelve spies that discouraged the people.  This time, it is two and a half tribes out of twelve that had the potential of being a fatal discouragement.  Whether it is the majority or minority, discouragement can come.

Many years back, I was an assistant pastor is a very rural church.  The county in which this church served was less than 15,000 people.  Very rural.  Our pastor at the time held a special meeting.  He arranged to use the public school gym because he knew the subject material would draw a crowd.  Fliers went out. Advertisements on the radio and TV were bought.  This little rural church of about forty people hosted a meeting that would see several hundred in attendance.  It was a three-day meeting.  As a good Baptist church would do, we had all visitors fill out a visitor’s card.  When it was all said and done, the LORD gave us 600 unchurched individuals in which follow-up was required.  What a grand meeting!  Even if ten percent of those who visited the meeting accepted Christ, our membership would have doubled.  Over a three day meeting, our church would have doubled in size.  But low and behold, there was a small group of men who were against anything that would be perceived as the pastor having any kind of ministry success.  They pressured the pastor and the rest of the church into disallowing any kind of follow-up.  What could have been the greatest revival to hit that county fizzled out because of a very few who discouraged any kind of effort.

A bit of balance here.  The above opinion was not the LORD’s word to Moses.  It was Moses’ fear based on past experience.  It doesn't make the concern any less valid.  However, there is another angle that needs to be considered.  Just because a minority may be the force behind discouragement, does not mean the majority must fall to it.  In the above example, that was certainly the case.  But not always the case.  Many times, in my ministerial experience, has a minority been a discouraging factor in the work of God.  This is part and parcel of any group dynamics.  However, positive leadership and faith possessed by the group don’t make this discouragement a certainty.  It can be overcome.  If the majority is a discouragement, this is almost impossible to overcome.  If it is a minority, things are not as dire as they are portraying it to be.

The point is, we can be a discouragement.  Either by many or by few.  The opposite is also true.  If the LORD is in it, what difference does a group of discouraged people really matter anyway?  If the LORD is in it, what difference is it what they think or how they feel.  We can have compassion and seek to help in any way we can.  But if they are determined to be a discourager, that should not hinder the body to continue.  If we are the discourager, we should be very careful.  Our actions or words can be the difference between obedience or doubt by the group of which we associate.  If we cannot be an encourager, the best thing to do is remain neutral.  Go along for the ride even if our heart is not in it.