Five Girls with Spunk

Saturday 2-28-15 (Home) 

Scripture reading:   Num 24-27  I Cor 13

S.  Num 27:1-2  One day a petition was presented by the daughters of Zelophehad — Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their father, Zelophehad, was the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph.  These women went and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle. NLT

O.  Forty years had passed since the Israelites escaped from the Egyptian army across the Red Sea.  Moses had led them to the door of the promised land.  All signals were go, but the entire army chickened out as 10 of the 12 explorers spread negative propaganda through their ranks.   Now 40 years later all those “chickens” are dead and once again the Israelites are camped at the door of the promised land.  Even though Moses would never enter the promised land, he would participate in its legal distribution.  A census is taken of each tribe.  Each of their prominent tribal leaders was allotted portions of land according to their population. It’s a new day.  All seems to move like clockwork.  Soon they will cross the Jordan and claim their inheritances. 

That’s when 5 bold sisters request an official hearing before Moses.  I like these girls.  They’ve got some spunk.  Nobody is going to leave them out of an inheritance just because their daddy had no male children.  I notice that they did not go whining around among their neighbors.  No riot with placards for women’s rights.  No effort to start a rebellion against their leadership.  They just went together as one voice, to see the top dog… (excuse me, Moses).  Most of us don’t remember their names or their deceased dad, Mr. Zelo.  I like to call them Mahlie, Noie, Hoglie (poor child), Milkie, and Tirzie.  Moses gives them a hearing before the entire court… all males.  Everybody is nodding.  So Moses says, “Okay, girls, give me a moment to check this out with God.”  He slips away to the back room and says, “Lord, what do You think about this?”  God gives him the okay, the girls get the good news and a brand new law is written in the books for other girls to benefit from later.

A.  Juana** was only one of many poverty stricken ladies in the Parana Delta islands.  But when she heard that a high ranking official was going to visit her section of the islands, she prepared a hand written request and backed it up by insisting to have a personal interview.  There wasn’t a man in the area that would have dared to do this!  The result was not only a new house for her, her husband and their family, but brought political justice for many others who were suffering in the area.  Juana is now in heaven… but her bold act of stepping out still benefits their children and others.

P.  Lord, thank you for these girls and many others that have spunk mixed with wisdom.  And give us men some of the same.  Don’t make us to become a stench to society, but… although the future looks pretty dingy, give us a dose of Your holy wisdom… to give our children a better world.  Amen.  

PS. **I’ll never forget Juana.  We met her when I was driving our boat, the Messenger of Peace, at top speed on our way home after a long day.  I happened to see her standing by her little shack as I sped by.  We had never stopped there, but the Holy Spirit slapped me in the chest and said, “Hold it, man!  You need to go back to that house.”  We were in a hurry, but I checked with Cocholo… my “Joshua” who would succeed me in this ministry.  “Let’s go back!”  I slowed only slightly as I did a U turn in the river.  I pulled up alongside the fragile broken-down dock.  Juana had a baby boy in her arms and a little girl at her side.  They walked out on the dock as we climbed out of the boat to meet them.  Her husband inside the house was contemplating suicide… and that day Juana and her husband, Juan, found Jesus.  The baby boy in her arms, Victor, is now married and leads worship at our island church.