Bibledoorajar: Numbered to Trust

"Take a census of the entire assembly of the Children of Israel according to their families, according
to their father's household, by number of the names, every male according to their head count." Numbers 1:2ff
      There is an honor that went with each Israeli standing before Moses and Aaron and giving his divinely inspired name. It was an "here I am" moment. I count. I have personal virtues because I am made in Your image. I can serve You, my God. I am worth something because in this instance I have been atoned with a half-shekel.  Leaders from each family group (tribal leaders) participated in the counting of his tribe. The leader would have been knowledgeable about each member under discussion. 'Ah, here is one of our young men at least 20 years of age and physically ready to assist with the taking of the land'. The first leader listed is Elizur serving for the tribe of Reuben. Elizur means " God is the Protector." The last leader on the list was Enan. His name means "Having eyes." What great leaders they were meant to be. God influenced the giving of names for them which reflected that Clouds of Glory would guide their way. They may have been born in sin, but obedience to the Torah could change those evil impulses for good. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One God, and thou shall LOVE HIM..." It was never about do's and don'ts, although they were there, it was always about the obedient heart that loves Him and trusts Him.
      My maternal great grandfather is not listed in any American census. I can find his wife and her children (my grandmother) listed in the household  of her father in 1900. Further, my great grandfather's lineage does not seem to correlate with other Culpeppers who came to this land. Benjamin Franklin Culpepper is now listed in Culpepper information as a possible orphan associated with a lineage of Culpeppers. Family lore has him gone from home a lot after marriage. To this day, I know not whether he was of good character or bad. I know not if he loved God. But I do know this. His daughter, Ollie Culpepper McSheridan, was a good mother and a woman who loved God. She married a man who loved God and they served God together and they were there for the coming generations. They counted and I give them honor.