Biting the Hand that Feeds Us

Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Hebrews 9:11-15; John 8:46-59


We've all heard that old saying, but what does it mean? Pretty much just as it says. We get to the point of taking for granted what is done for us and, in return we don't appreciate or even sometimes turn against the very source of our livelihood. We heard it said and are probably all a little guilty of it ourselves. We don't like the way a decision goes at the workplace, at school, or at home and we growl a little that we're being picked on or that those in charge just don't have the good sense to run business or a classroom or a household. Usually, we get over our little rants (or we have the good sense to not growl too loudly or to the wrong person) and all returns back to normal and we go about our day. But, once in a great while, someone lets the rant continue a bit too long and while biting the hand that feeds, the feeding ends. Oops!


That very thing was happening as the Israelites continued in their journey across the desert. Once again the grumbling was increasing along with the angry words. This time they went too far. The daily manna, their literal daily bread, was being cursed. This went beyond the usual complaining--this was an out and out insult against God's grace. They bit the hand that fed them. And they paid dearly.


God sent out poisonous snakes throughout the Israelites; many were bitten by the snakes and many of them died from the bites. In a panic, they pleaded with Moses to ask God for relief. Moses prayed to God and God, in his unending patience and love, told Moses to build a pole with a bronze snake on it. Anyone who was bitten could look at the snake on the pole and be healed. God's grace supplied once again to the people.


In the book of Hebrews, we are reminded that many times we tend to "bite the hand that feeds us" by not being eternally humbled by the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for each and every one of us. It speaks of the new tabernacle. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (ch. 9, v.15).  It's a bad habit we have to take this precious gift for granted. No longer do we need to go through the laborious ceremonies of cleanliness in order to even be considered to give sacrifices to honor God. It is all so simple now. Christ made sure of it. We pray to our loving Savior who intervenes on our behalf, time after time, to God. Christ is the new covenant. No more rituals; no more pilgrimages to foreign lands and temples. Just earnest prayer. Yet how many times do we growl, pout, or feel that we're not being treated as we like to be? It's not Jesus doing the mistreating. It is our brothers, sisters, and circumstances of an imperfect world. Christ, during his time on Earth, told the believers as well as the disbelievers that "I tell you the truth. If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death" (John 8:51). All we have to do is believe and have faith.


...and remember not to bite the hand that feeds us with eternal life.


Peace be with you.