Misunderstanding

I read the account of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh building the altar that caused such an uproar among the rest of Israel.  Once again this year I am reminded how easily misunderstandings can happen.

What Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh did was no different than what Joshua later did by placing the stone under the terebinth tree by the Tabernacle.  As a matter of fact, both were claimed to be "witnesses."

Two things stand out to me.  One, I should be very careful about judging what I see without first understanding what it is I am seeing.  Two, I should use reference points as reminders of spiritual events in my life.

Father, help me to see the practical side of the Bible and learn the age-old practices that have contemporary relevance.