"‘But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.’ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’”
- Numbers 13:28-30 -

All the spies saw the same things, but their conclusions differed. They agreed that Canaan was as good as God had promised. They all noticed the strength of the opposition. For Caleb it was a challenge to conquest, but for the majority it was too difficult a task. What made Caleb different from the other ten?

Caleb was a man who lived by the promises and power of God. For him, conquest was assured because God had promised it. The other spies, placed themselves as grasshoppers in the minds of the inhabitants. Fear leads to exaggeration of dangers. Faith does have an element of risk, but fear paralyzes us into inaction. Fear judges by appearances, but faith looks to God. Caleb does not doubt his convictions because others do not share them. He has the courage to hold fast to his view despite opposition. We live in a world of populist politics, in which unpopular ideas are cancelled. Courage like that of Caleb is a necessary part of being a faithful witness to the gospel. Democratic decisions may be good, but should never replace faith in the Word of God.

Prayer: Yes Lord, I am one of those who “sees the glass half empty rather than half full.” I ask for a stronger faith, trusting in what you can accomplish in and through me.

(Summary from the Encounter with God)