Content with second place
Content with second place
Joshua 14: 1-15
Caleb....I wondered what happened to this guy. He and Joshua were sent with 10 other men to spy out the land. They were the only two out of the 12 that we're convinced that they could take this land! It was in fact Caleb that said it!
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30 NKJV)
But they didn't make Caleb the leader after Moses died. They commissioned Joshua to have this role and we wonder, what did Caleb get?
Would he be rewarded too, with a title?
No, he didn't receive a title, he would not be the leader. Apparently this was fine with Caleb because we don't hear of any opposition from him.
Now here he is. And he is asking for his reward now! He wants the very land that they first spied out where the Anakim lived, those big scary people!
Why would he want this land? They were STILL there, those Anakim people! It's been 45 years since he was here spying out this land, and at 85 years old he still wants to drive them out and take that land!
"Now then, the Lord has kept his promise. He has kept me alive for forty-five years from the time he said this to Moses during the time we all wandered in the desert.
Now here I am, eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out, and I am just as ready to fight now as I was then.
So give me the mountain country the Lord promised me that day long ago.
Back then you heard that the Anakite people lived there and the cities were large and well protected. But now with the Lord helping me, I will force them out, just as the Lord said.” (Joshua 14:10-12 NCV)
You would think Caleb would ask Joshua for other land than this! At 85 we he still wants to fight those Anskim people! !
I have to admire his gumption don't you?
He knows "If" God is with him, he can do this thing! The other Israelites probably thought "Give it to him, he's crazy!"
But Caleb wasn't crazy, he was passionate to show God's glory! To show that God would help Him!
And Joshua said, yes, of course! This is your Inheritance from God!
Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, BECAUSE HE GAVE HIMSELF TOTALLY TO GOD, the God of Israel! (Joshua 14:13, 14 MSG)
We can wonder what Caleb did all those years since him and Joshua spied out this land, but we can KNOW he was doing whatever God was asking him to do because he gave himself totally to Him!
When we give ourselves totally to God, we don't have to have a "leadership title", we can settle for second place!
Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. (Colossians 3:13 MSG)
Caleb I believe was content! He didn't grumble. He didn't fight to be the leader but I think he was a natural born leader to all the people!
I think he was a strong warrior for the Lord'
I think he was a great man of God!
I would've like to hear more about Caleb!
I want to hear his stories about driving the Anakim out, those big scary people'
I hope to get to know him when I reach my promised land!
Created 5 months ago
