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Standing Tall When It Counts
It is not always easy to stand out and stand tall. Group pressure is a tremendous force. The sheer power of thousands of people cheering in a stadium for the home team carries an energy that is very intimidating to opponents. Not many of us would be foolish enough to shout for the opposing team or wave the other team’s colors in the middle of the opposition. This is the reason why supporters of opposing teams, such as in soccer, often are kept apart during games. When they do meet, reason steps aside and violence often results.
For the Israelites, though, this was no game. Their future and their survival seemed to be threatened, and they all wept. To witness thousands of people weeping together must have been very moving. And here Caleb, who normally seems to be in the background, steps forward.
Focus on Numbers 13:30. What can we learn about Caleb and about trusting in God’s promises from what he said?
The same information can be conveyed in many ways. How we say something is as important as what we say. Caleb shows a lot of character by not arguing with or insulting the faithless ten spies in public and not remonstrating with the people for their lack of faith. Instead, Caleb talks courageously and calls for trust and action. However, the people do not want to hear this. They have made up their minds and try to stone Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.
Read Numbers 14:1–10, 20–24. What do we see here as an end result of rejecting God’s Word and thus coming to a faulty interpretation of the “facts”?
Caleb must have been bitterly disappointed. He had seen the good land. He was faithful and ready to enter. But now he must wander in the desert for 40 years because of everyone else’s fault. Caleb, however, has a strong sense of community and realizes what it means to be part of a whole. He leads by example and encourages. Caleb does not break away and start a new movement. The spirit of simply leaving when there is trouble or lack of faith may be a current phenomenon, but it is not biblical. In Caleb we see a man who stays on, even during the punishment years, without a spirit of “I told you so.”
In what ways have you suffered from other people’s bad choices? How have you handled yourself in these situations?
| MONDAY | October 4 |
It is not always easy to stand out and stand tall. Group pressure is a tremendous force. The sheer power of thousands of people cheering in a stadium for the home team carries an energy that is very intimidating to opponents. Not many of us would be foolish enough to shout for the opposing team or wave the other team’s colors in the middle of the opposition. This is the reason why supporters of opposing teams, such as in soccer, often are kept apart during games. When they do meet, reason steps aside and violence often results.
For the Israelites, though, this was no game. Their future and their survival seemed to be threatened, and they all wept. To witness thousands of people weeping together must have been very moving. And here Caleb, who normally seems to be in the background, steps forward.
Focus on Numbers 13:30. What can we learn about Caleb and about trusting in God’s promises from what he said?
The same information can be conveyed in many ways. How we say something is as important as what we say. Caleb shows a lot of character by not arguing with or insulting the faithless ten spies in public and not remonstrating with the people for their lack of faith. Instead, Caleb talks courageously and calls for trust and action. However, the people do not want to hear this. They have made up their minds and try to stone Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.
Read Numbers 14:1–10, 20–24. What do we see here as an end result of rejecting God’s Word and thus coming to a faulty interpretation of the “facts”?
Caleb must have been bitterly disappointed. He had seen the good land. He was faithful and ready to enter. But now he must wander in the desert for 40 years because of everyone else’s fault. Caleb, however, has a strong sense of community and realizes what it means to be part of a whole. He leads by example and encourages. Caleb does not break away and start a new movement. The spirit of simply leaving when there is trouble or lack of faith may be a current phenomenon, but it is not biblical. In Caleb we see a man who stays on, even during the punishment years, without a spirit of “I told you so.”
In what ways have you suffered from other people’s bad choices? How have you handled yourself in these situations?
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