Scripture: Numbers 2:12-13 – “And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites shall be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, with a company as enrolled of fifty-nine thousand three hundred.” (NRSVue)
Back during the height of the COVID crisis, I remember waiting expectantly for news conferences by Governor Charlie Baker talking about COVID levels and whether and when it might be prudent to reopen things like churches or reduce social distancing. However, I only watched one press conference, and each other time I just waited for a summary of the recommendations.
A big part of this was that I wanted the relevant details so I could continue to safely lead my community of faith, but what I got was a seemingly endless string of acknowledgements and thanks for dozens of politicians I did not know or care about. Forget their egos, get to the point!
However, what was useless to me was important to them. It verified how they were leading their constituents and their agencies. Having the governor recognize your role in the crisis allowed the apparatus to continue to function and engendered trust amid confusion, frustration, and fear. I was so caught up in my own needs, as important as they were, and was not showing empathy to others.
Many people say, “I am going to read the Bible cover to cover!”, but I would venture that most peter out at some point. Typical places are the long lists of names, such as those in genealogies. For example, the Book of Numbers is called that because it begins with the numbers of people in all the various tribes When people am looking for eternal truths about God, they do not care about the leader and size of a group they never heard of.
These kinds of passages remind me that the Bible’s original audience was the people of the tribes of Israel. For people who traced their ancestry back to the tribe of Simeon, knowing that Shelumiel was the leader and their contribution to the company of Israel mattered. It shows that they belong, they have an ancestor who walked alongside Moses, and that what they did hundreds of years ago was significant enough to be recorded for all to know.
A lot of things that people say and do have little impact on our lives and, given all the things need to think about, are usually ignored. But that does not mean they are unimportant. We tend to dismiss things we do not care about or understand as “dumb,” but they matter a lot to the person sharing their experiences with the world.
Another message I learned from COVID was that a lot of people lack empathy. Too many, in my opinion, were more upset by the inconvenience of wearing those uncomfortable masks than they were about trying to reduce the risk of other people getting the disease. But the fact that the leadership of Shelumiel is enshrined in our holiest book reminds us that God cares about all experiences, needs, and points of view, not just those that immediately matter to us.
So, before you rush to judgment about someone, remember to show empathy and put yourself in their position. You will find more love in your life, and you will better live into your destiny as a child of God.
Prayer: Lord, help me to set aside my fears and needs for a moment so I can listen to those of others and share a bit of your loving-kindness to the world. Amen.
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