What is wrong with taking a census? Modern nations do that all the time. They count their citizens for purposes of governance and taxation. But when David took a census of Israel, God looked upon it as a great sin. Counting and numbering implies ownership and control, as well as wringing revenue from those dwelling in the land. Rather than receiving the land as a gracious gift from God, David implied that it was his by right. He showed selfishness and ingratitude. God gave him a choice of three punishments, and in a less than admirable manner, David chose the one that affected him the least. He chose a plague upon the land that killed many people. It was a tough - even brutal - lesson to learn.

Jesus did not receive a warm welcome in the synagogue of Nazareth, even though it was His hometown. That was the problem; the people knew Him and knew His family. They watched Him grow up. Often when we are familiar with someone, we are blinded to the exceptional side of them. It might never occur to us that God could be speaking and acting through them. Because of their lack of faith, Jesus was not able to do much in the way of miracles, for doubt blocks the power of God.