A Wild and Crazy Faith

 What would cause someone to go against the tide of social influence?  What would make them stand up against a vast amount of their peers and refuse to go along with what they believe? 

 Peer pressure is a powerful force and few can stand against it.  However, there were two men in the Bible who did just that . . .

Caleb and Joshua were chosen, along with ten other men, to explore the Promised Land and give a report to Moses and the people. 

When they returned ten of the spies were against conquering the land.  This is what they said, “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there.  All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”  (Numbers 13:32-33 NLV)

Caleb and Joshua disagreed!  This is what Caleb said “Let’s go at once to take the land, we can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30 NLV) 

“But all the people began to cry and weep.  Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron.”(Numbers 14:1-2 NLV)

What is amazing is Joshua and Caleb’s response to all of this.  By this time, you would think that they would have given in to this incredible amount of pressure but they didn’t. 

Look what they said, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!  And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey.  Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” (Number 14:7-9 NLV) 

What caused Caleb and Joshua to stand against the tide of social influence?  When everyone else was trembling in fear because of the vast fortified cities and the giants in the land, they were ready to march ahead. 

They knew their God!

They had seen over and over again God’s mighty work on their behalf.  They had witnessed His constant faithfulness and they believed!

 They saw the Promised Land through different eyes.  They understood that the God who created the Universe, who hung the stars in space and formed the land would stand with them, go before them and they had nothing to fear!

 In the eyes of the Israelites, Caleb and Joshua had an outlandish faith!  Their faith was wild and crazy and completely illogical.  But this wild and crazy faith was rooted in an amazing, outlandish God who had proven Himself over and over to them.

What kind of faith do we have?  How big is our God?  Do we trust Him when things seem impossible, when we can’t see what He is doing?  Are we viewing our life through earthly lenses or through heavenly ones?  Do we believe we have an outlandish God? 

The only way to develop this kind of faith is to KNOW our God.  So let’s get into His Word and down on our knees. 

“This is what the Lord says:  “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.  But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone; that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love . . .” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLV)

 

- Kristi Huseby