I Spy

After forty years Joshua is about to leave the desert and enter the land. But before he goes in, he sent two spies ahead of them. Was Joshua doubting or was he exercising wisdom? Good question. We know he wasn’t wondering if God’s promise still held true, so we can assume he was planning tactics by knowing the condition of his enemies and the topography.

Some people could have looked at his actions and expressed concern. Wasn’t that how we got into trouble last time? And that they may have demurred? Joshua was surely aware of this possibility. But he was using wisdom with his faith. Faith isn’t a denial of the facts; it is a way through them.

Faith isn’t a go alone, go unprepared, believe for the best, spiritual quality. Getting background information prior to a big step or move is a wise course of action. We are savvy if we know what we are facing, and not if we don’t. It will still require faith to be accomplished, but awareness is not the same as unbelief. Jesus told His disciples that building a tower without due diligence regarding cost and capacity opens a door for failure and mockery. He adds that a king isn’t likely, or wise, to go to war without considering the size of his enemy. See Luke 14.28-32.

A defining characteristic of a leader is that even with all the facts at their disposal, faith will still have to be invoked. This is in good part due to the certitude that we simply can’t know everything before we make a choice. That is why faith is as much a choice as it is a sense or feeling. We will never know everything – enough, yes; but everything, no. Believing and acting fill in the gaps.

Many years ago, the church in Sydney I was a member of looked at purchasing a block of land to build on. It seemed a good idea, but we faced many obstacles. It took nine years to have the land rezoned, only after rejection after rejection from local government agencies. We had no guarantees, just a sense that it was the right place. All we had was faith. But it was all we needed. The land was rezoned and the church was built. Faith and patience inherit the promises.