A few months ago, our ministry travels took us to a beautiful vineyard in southern Tasmania. One evening, we were having a particularly interesting conversation with our hosts over dinner, when my 5 year old son David asked if he could go outside and play. He had finished his meal, so I took him to the door to go outside, intending to quickly return back to the interesting conversation. But as I let David out, there was a gentle nudge in my spirit “go out with him”.

“No, I’m not going outside now”, I countered. “I’m heading back to my interesting conversation.”

“I can go outside later”, I said to myself as I returned to the table and sat down.

Suddenly it dawned on me what I was doing. I was arguing with God, assuming I knew better than Him, and placing my plans and desires ahead of Him.

I quickly repented and got up to leave the table. Outside I discovered to my horror that young David had just found a weed killer spray gun lying around, and was beginning to play with its poisonous spray. Thank God I was there to stop him, Thank God I listened!

This week’s Torah portion is about Balaam, a prophet who hears God, but instead stubbornly insists on his own ways. Unwittingly many of us are like Balaam, hearing from God but argue with His instructions and insist on our own ways.

Let us repent of the ways of Balaam, and commit ourselves to follow God’s voice in the small and big things of life.