“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
NUMBERS 21-25
10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”12Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(25:10-14)
JOURNAL
The story of Balaam has always felt unusual to me. He is not an Israelite. He is not part of the covenant community. Yet God speaks to him. God restrains him. God even uses him to bless Israel instead of curse them. Balak may have believed he was hiring spiritual power for his own agenda, but the narrative makes something unmistakably clear. The Lord was not confined to Israel’s borders. He was already at work in foreign lands, speaking to a man outside the chosen nation, overruling kings, and directing history.
This challenges the tendency to believe that God belongs to a category, a tribe, or a religious label. Balaam proves that God is not a tribal deity. He is sovereign over all nations and all people, whether they acknowledge Him or not. Scripture consistently reinforces this. Psalm 24:1 declares that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Daniel 2:21 says He changes times and seasons and sets up kings and removes them. Isaiah 45:5 records the Lord saying, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Even Cyrus, a pagan king, is called God’s anointed in Isaiah 45:1 because God used him to accomplish His purposes. In Acts 17:26-28, Paul tells the Athenians that God determines the times and places where people live so that they might seek Him, and that in Him we live and move and have our being. None of this is limited to one group.
We may not always have a detailed record of how God intervenes in the lives of those who are not Christians or who do not fit neatly into our theological categories. Scripture does not document every interaction. Yet passages like this remind me that God’s involvement in human affairs is far broader than what is written. Jesus Himself said in John 1:9 that He is the true light that gives light to everyone. That statement leaves little room for exclusivity. God is always reaching, always moving, always drawing.
The disciples in Mark struggle to understand this broader reality. Jesus warns them about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, but they think He is talking about bread. Their vision is small and literal. Jesus reminds them of the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand. He asks if they still do not understand. The issue is not bread. The issue is perception. Their hearts are still limited in how they see God at work.
I often fall into the same trap. I want to define where God is working and how He should work. Yet Balaam’s story and Jesus’ rebuke both remind me that God is active far beyond my categories. He is involved with rulers, prophets, pagans, disciples, and doubters alike. His sovereignty does not depend on human acknowledgment.
Power, then, is not proof of closeness to God. Balaam had influence and prophetic ability, yet his heart was divided. Scripture later shows that his motives were compromised. Lincoln’s quote rings true here. Power tests character. The real measure is not whether someone has influence or spiritual ability, but whether they align with God’s purposes.
Jesus makes His mission unmistakable in Luke 4:18-19. The Spirit of the Lord anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. His purpose was not to accumulate power but to redeem and restore. If God is active everywhere and among everyone, then His ultimate goal is not to elevate a select few but to draw all toward redemption.
This reshapes how I view the world. God is not confined to church walls, national identities, or religious labels. He is moving in places I cannot see and in hearts I would not expect. My role is not to guard the boundaries of His activity, but to align my heart with His character and trust that He is working everywhere, even when I do not fully understand how.
The story of Balaam has always felt unusual to me. He is not an Israelite. He is not part of the covenant community. Yet God speaks to him. God restrains him. God even uses him to bless Israel instead of curse them. Balak may have believed he was hiring spiritual power for his own agenda, but the narrative makes something unmistakably clear. The Lord was not confined to Israel’s borders. He was already at work in foreign lands, speaking to a man outside the chosen nation, overruling kings, and directing history.
This challenges the tendency to believe that God belongs to a category, a tribe, or a religious label. Balaam proves that God is not a tribal deity. He is sovereign over all nations and all people, whether they acknowledge Him or not. Scripture consistently reinforces this. Psalm 24:1 declares that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Daniel 2:21 says He changes times and seasons and sets up kings and removes them. Isaiah 45:5 records the Lord saying, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Even Cyrus, a pagan king, is called God’s anointed in Isaiah 45:1 because God used him to accomplish His purposes. In Acts 17:26-28, Paul tells the Athenians that God determines the times and places where people live so that they might seek Him, and that in Him we live and move and have our being. None of this is limited to one group.
We may not always have a detailed record of how God intervenes in the lives of those who are not Christians or who do not fit neatly into our theological categories. Scripture does not document every interaction. Yet passages like this remind me that God’s involvement in human affairs is far broader than what is written. Jesus Himself said in John 1:9 that He is the true light that gives light to everyone. That statement leaves little room for exclusivity. God is always reaching, always moving, always drawing.
The disciples in Mark struggle to understand this broader reality. Jesus warns them about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, but they think He is talking about bread. Their vision is small and literal. Jesus reminds them of the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand. He asks if they still do not understand. The issue is not bread. The issue is perception. Their hearts are still limited in how they see God at work.
I often fall into the same trap. I want to define where God is working and how He should work. Yet Balaam’s story and Jesus’ rebuke both remind me that God is active far beyond my categories. He is involved with rulers, prophets, pagans, disciples, and doubters alike. His sovereignty does not depend on human acknowledgment.
Power, then, is not proof of closeness to God. Balaam had influence and prophetic ability, yet his heart was divided. Scripture later shows that his motives were compromised. Lincoln’s quote rings true here. Power tests character. The real measure is not whether someone has influence or spiritual ability, but whether they align with God’s purposes.
Jesus makes His mission unmistakable in Luke 4:18-19. The Spirit of the Lord anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. His purpose was not to accumulate power but to redeem and restore. If God is active everywhere and among everyone, then His ultimate goal is not to elevate a select few but to draw all toward redemption.
This reshapes how I view the world. God is not confined to church walls, national identities, or religious labels. He is moving in places I cannot see and in hearts I would not expect. My role is not to guard the boundaries of His activity, but to align my heart with His character and trust that He is working everywhere, even when I do not fully understand how.
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