“I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.”
NUMBERS 22:32
READ: Numbers 22:4-41
What you see is what you get” is not always true, particularly in the business world.
Take Balaam, for example. He is one of the Bible’s most perplexing characters.
When King Balak of Moab saw the children of Israel approaching the Promised
Land—through his backyard!—he sent for Balaam to pronounce a curse on them and
thereby halt their progress. Balaam consulted the Lord and was told not to accede to the
king’s request, even though financially the offer was very attractive. King Balak, on hearing
of Balaam’s refusal, increased the offer. In response, Balaam sought and was given permission
by the Lord to go—on the condition that he only say what the Lord told him to say.
Then, when Balaam set out, the Lord was upset that Balaam was going, even though the
Lord had said he could! Either the Lord was being incredibly fickle, or Balaam was hiding
something and the Lord knew it. The latter solution is most in keeping with what we know
of God’s character.
After being rebuked by his donkey and the Lord for “stubbornly resisting” the Lord,
Balaam finally came through and did what was right. It would appear that he continued to
struggle with whether to obey or disobey the Lord; otherwise, there would have been no
reason for him to respond repeatedly to Balak’s requests that he curse the people. Also,
even though Balaam blessed Israel verbally, he was later responsible for causing them to
rebel against the Lord (31:16; see 25:1-3; Rev. 2:14). On the outside, Balaam was claiming
to do what was right, but on the inside he was flirting with a desire to do what was wrong
(see 2 Pet. 2:15-16). The pressure point in this case was money, and the motive was greed.
There’s nothing new about that. When money enters the equation, principles come
under pressure. The natural tendency is to opt for that which is comfortable, profitable,
and popular. Sometimes the choice is between what is comfortable and what is right, what
is popular and what is true, or what is profitable and what is good. The right choice is to
opt for what is good and right and true. Men in business must constantly scrutinize their
inner motives and make these tough decisions. A torn heart may beat under a well-cut suit,
but God knows the heart and examines the motives, and he is the one who passes
judgment. Better to be poor and right than wrong and rich.
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