HONEST MISTAKES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
Then Aaron answered Moses, “Today my sons presented both their sin offering and their burnt offering to the Lord. And yet this tragedy has happened to me. If I had eaten the people’s sin offering on such a tragic day as this, would the Lord have been pleased?” 20 And when Moses heard this, he was satisfied.
Leviticus 10:19

OBSERVATION
It was a sad day for Aaron. Two of his sons died in the presence of the Lord because they offered unauthorized fire in the altar, a serious offense before the Lord. God instructed Aaron to refrain from showing signs of grieving. And later on the same day, his other two sons burned completely the offering that Moses instructed them to eat in a holy place. Moses was very upset about this too. Aaron's response to Moses reveals an important principle that if not careful, we can miss in our reading. This is it: God is always more concerned about people than laws. Aaron never made a case to defend the actions of Nadab and Abihu. His oldest sons did something wrong out of rebellion, immaturity, and probably drunkenness. Aaron probably knew that his sons deserved the punishment. But when responding to Moses, Aaron describes an honest mistake of his younger sons. How could they eat the sacrifice in such a horrible day for their family? Would God be pleased with that kind of attitude? Moses understood clearly because he knew the heart of God. Eleazar and Ithamar made an honest mistake, motivated by love for their father, and their family. They did not die that day like his other brothers! Their heart was different. God's mercy covered them.

APPLICATION
Over and over I thank God because perfection is not a requirement to serve him. It's very liberating to know that I don't need to be perfect and that God's grace will cover my honest mistakes. Sometimes I have the tendency to be really hard on myself when my imperfections come across. These are decisions made not out of rebellion, but out of the best intentions for the people. Eleazar and Ithamar broke a direct order, but they acted according to a principle. They risked all for the sake of honoring someone. Nadab and Abihu broke a command, but they acted out of selfishness and rebellion, careless of what they could bring to the people.

In order to steward my authority well, I need to always discern people's actions. If they act out of rebellion, then the consequences will be unique. But if they make a mistake, motivated by doing the bet for people, the outcome should be different. I must be willing to provide grace when people make honest mistakes. But also I need to learn how to be gracious and direct when people are acting our of rebellion.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for the privilege I have to serve people. Let me always put people first before any policies or tasks. Please give me discernment to look in the heart and in the motives of their actions. Let me distinguish between mistakes motivated out of ignorance and the mistakes motivated out of rebellion. Give me boldness to deal with all of them accordingly. Let me stewrad my authority well. In Jesus name. Amen!