Caleb « keytruths blog

Follow God Series #4

“Politics is a fact of life,” the leader said. He meant, “Politics is a fact of life in this church-related structure.” He added, “Maybe you need to be more of a politician.”

A few days later, Henry Blackaby stood before us, addressing a chapel service. “We don’t need politicians in the church,” he said. “We need statesmen.”

To see how a statesman thinks and acts, look at Caleb. One of 12 spies Moses sent into Canaan, Caleb saw the fortified cities and the giants in the land. Returning to the Israelite camp, he heard the other spies’ fear-filled report. He saw the terror in the people’s eyes.

Caleb the politician would have known when to go along. Caleb the statesman “silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it’” (Num. 13:30).

Did the people rally to his cry? No. All night, they wailed, “Woe is us!” Then, they started packing to return to Egypt.

Once, a presenter teaching about teamwork sketched on a whiteboard an overhead view of several people in a rowboat. All the rowers faced the same direction – except one. “Who is hurting the team?” the presenter asked.

“The one going a different direction,” a chorus of voices responded.

“Unless all the others are rowing toward a cliff,” I thought.

Fervently, Caleb and Joshua appealed to the crowd: “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them” (Num. 14:7-9).

Fearing the dissenters’ advice would destroy them all, the crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron, Joshua and Caleb.

When almost an entire nation headed the same direction, Caleb was one of four rowing the other way. Was he stubborn, reckless, divisive? Was he presuming on God’s help and putting everyone’s future at risk? By his persistence in disregarding the political climate, did he needlessly create an uproar that threatened to cost him, not only his position, but also his life?

God says otherwise. The Lord rebuked and judged the people. “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it” (Num. 14:24).

Six times, Scripture says Caleb “followed God fully.” Literally, he “was filled with pursuing.” His heart was so set on following God that it didn’t have room for any competing choice.

Caleb believed God would lead the Israelites to conquer the land because God had promised to do so. All the people knew God’s promise. Caleb knew it in his inmost being. Not to curry favor, not to protect his position or even his life, would he turn aside from following the Lord.

He pleaded with the people to go that way too. He pleaded with them for their good. What they thought would destroy them would instead lead into abundant life. The direction they were choosing would take them over a cliff.

God himself shut down their return to Egypt, but he slammed the door to Canaan too. When he did, Caleb knew he also had to wait. His personal promise would be fulfilled when God brought the nation into the land. So Caleb the statesman wandered 40 years with a generation sentenced to purposelessness and death. But while the Israelites walked in circles, grumbling every step of the way, Caleb spent an agonizing 40-year delay living fully – and leading the next generation in his clan to follow God with their whole heart.

Joshua 14-15 tells the story of Caleb’s victory. At age 85, still as strong as the day he left Egypt, he led his clan to do what few Israelites did. All the tribes entered and subdued Canaan, but Caleb’s clan laid hold of their inheritance to the full.

In today’s church culture, politics is a fact of life. But you, be blessed to have a different spirit. Be blessed to hear God clearly and follow him fully. Following him, seek what is best for all – even when people you’re trying to help reject and attack you for it. Pressing in to follow, cultivate in others a spirit like Caleb had.

Regardless which way anyone else is rowing, you be filled with pursuing God.

© 2013 Deborah P. Brunt. All rights reserved.

Other articles in the Follow God Series:

#1 Don’t Omit the Obvious

#2 Don’t Be Fooled by Counterfeits

#3 Hear God’s Voice

#5 Have a Daniel Heart (coming 12/05/13)

In Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic movie, The Sound of Music, Maria, the new nanny for the Von Trapp family, finds that the children don’t know how to sing. So she teaches them the musical scale in song: “Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. When you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi.”

Suppose Jesus came to earth, to find that God’s children didn’t know how to lead. What do you think he might identify as “a very good place to start”? Where did he, in fact, teach us to start?

I’ll tell you a sad hint: You won’t find the answer anywhere in most current Christian books on leadership. Maybe the authors of these books think the principle so obvious that it would be wasting people’s time to mention it. Yet, Jesus counted it crucial. He repeated it often. He said, in essence, “When you lead, you begin with following me.”

While on earth, Jesus cultivated 12 men to be apostles. Ultimately, he would entrust the twelve with authority and send them out to be key leaders in his church. Yet, initially, Jesus said one thing to Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew and the rest: “Follow me.”

In Luke 9:23, Jesus told all of us where to start, including any who aspire to lead: “He said to all of them, ‘Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow me’” (GW).

Even a cursory look at all levels of leadership in our churches, denominations, networks and ministries reveals that what should be foundational is often absent. Seeking to lead, we can and often do try to cultivate the personality, skills and traits associated with leaders. Yet for all our learning, we often do not know how to follow God. Even more tragic, we don’t know that we don’t know.

In Isaiah 3:12, God cries, “My people, your guides lead you astray.” In Matthew 15:14, Jesus warns, “If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

If we fail to follow God, whether from rebellion or ignorance, we will lead people the wrong direction. We’ll fail as leaders in God’s eyes. On the other hand, when we’re following God fully, even if we don’t see ourselves as leadership material, he can equip any one of us to lead.

Years ago, I was approached about taking a leadership role for which I felt utterly inadequate. As I sat before God, listing all the reasons why I could not do it, he led me to Scripture after Scripture that affirmed, “No, you can’t, but I will be with you. I’ll do it through you.” Finally, I protested, “But, Lord, it doesn’t make any sense.” In my spirit, I heard him say: “So will you follow me?”

When God asks that question, you have only two possible answers. Reluctantly, I answered yes. As soon as I agreed to follow, the Lord made it his responsibility to show me how to lead.

In the years since, he has continued to remind me: The moment I stop following him, that moment I cease leading well. When I recognize my error, turn around and follow him again, I’m once again on track to lead the right way.

Of course, you can omit the obvious and still be a popular leader, or a powerful one, or both. But don’t do it. Don’t be a leader who pursues having followers – and blindly leads them into a pit.

Instead, lead like Caleb, the man in the Exodus generation whom God said, “has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly” (Num. 14:24). With Joshua, Caleb tried to lead the Israelites into Canaan a year after they all left Egypt. When the people turned back, Caleb continued to follow God during 40 years of wilderness wanderings. Entering Canaan at last, Caleb led his clan to conquer an unconquerable mountain and to receive in full the inheritance God had given.

You too be blessed to start at the very beginning and to follow God fully all the way to the end.

Other articles in the Follow God Series:

#2 Don’t Be Fooled by Counterfeits

#3 Hear God’s Voice

#4 Have a Caleb Spirit

#5 Have a Daniel Heart (coming 12/05/13)