Don’t Listen to the Naysayers

“But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people: for they are stronger than we.”  Numbers 13:31

Moses had been leading the Israelites to the promised land, the land of Canaan, for quite some time, but they were now getting closer to their destination.  Moses was told by God to send men on ahead to search out the land before they entered in.  Twelve men were chosen, one from each tribe.  Caleb represented the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, the tribe of Ephraim.  The twelve men traveled to Canaan and were pleasantly surprised at the abundance of fruit.  They brought back clusters of grapes that were so heavy two of the men carried them on a pole.  Wow.

When the twelve men returned to the Israelites’ camp they showed the people all the fruit that they had collected, but then ten of the men cautioned that the people of the land were too strong and would make it nearly impossible for the Israelites to enter the land of Canaan.  They must have forgotten about God’s promise that He would give them the land.  All they had to do was to trust Him and step out on faith.  That was what two of the scouts, Joshua and Caleb, intended to do.

The people listened to the naysayers, though, and then decided they wanted to go back to Egypt.  I suppose they had also forgotten all the misery they suffered while living under slavery.  Joshua and Caleb tried to persuade them, but the people threw rocks at them.  Before we criticize the people for their lack of faith, how many times do we listen to the naysayers rather than trusting in what God has told us?  God is bigger than any problem we might have.

Fast forward to today.  Our nation is at a crossroads, something like that of which the people of Israel faced.  We can either trust God to steer us along the path of keeping us free to live our lives and free to worship as we choose, or we can choose to give up our freedoms and become nothing more than cogs in a wheel going in the direction that others who wish to control our every move attempt to take us.  God gives everyone potential to be the best that he or she can be, but it is up to the individual to study and work toward success in his or her career and personal life.  The attempt to make everyone “equal” will only serve to take away the incentive of folks to improve their own lives and thus diminish the lives of everyone.  We are all individuals accountable to our Creator for our relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and we are also accountable to how we live our lives.  Don’t listen to those who attempt to make us victims.  We are only victims if we allow ourselves to be made victims by those who desire to have power over us.  Just remember Who’s really in charge.