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Text: Numbers 13:1-33
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV
Eight years before the Wright Brothers took their home-built aircraft to the sandy dunes of Kitty Hawk, cranked up the engine, and took off into the history books, much of the scientific community considered their escapades as madness.
Lord Kelvin, the famed man of science and President of the Royal Society of England, made an obstinate declaration, saying, “Heavier than air flying machines are impossible.” Yet the Wright Brothers never let those criticisms deter them from doing the seemingly impossible. They didn’t apologize for having a bold vision, and their audacious dream still speaks today as millions of flights lift off annually. Rumor has it that Lord Kelvin’s science was, well, just a little off.
Albert Einstein once said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” That’s a great description of the narrative we find in the thirteenth chapter of the book of Numbers. The Lord instructed Moses to send out twelve spies to do a reconnaissance of the land that God had promised Israel. When the twelve returned, only two of them believed that God was able to give them the land (Joshua and Caleb). The Bible describes Caleb as a man who had a “different spirit” and followed God fully (Numbers 14:24). Yet these two great spirits found themselves in the minority of a mediocre majority.
The majority came back from their surveillance filled with fear. The minority came back swelling with faith and courage. Caleb even tried to quiet the anxiety of the people by saying, “we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30), while the majority spread a “bad report” and infected the camp with cynicism (Numbers 13:31-32). What was the difference between the minority and the majority? The majority only focused on the giants in the land and viewed themselves in contrast to the size of those giants (Numbers 13:33). They only saw problems instead of possibilities. So they shrunk back in fear. The minority, Joshua and Caleb, had a God-sized vision that they didn’t apologize for. They saw the giants in the land in direct proportion to their God, and it made those giants seem very small and the task exceedingly possible.
Whenever we view ourselves in proportion to our circumstances, we always shrink back in fear. God’s promises seem implausible as fear gives way to mediocrity. The cynicism of the majority erodes our confidence, leaving us feeling ashamed for believing God in the first place, and regretfully inclined to apologize to the rest of the world for having faith. The enemy of our soul would love for nothing more than to thrash us into this state of spiritual paralysis—that place where we never step out in bold faith or leave the safe and shallow shores of status quo Christianity.
Conversely, when we see our circumstances in proportion to the size of our God, impossibilities then become a seedbed for miracles. Faith swells and our vision is emboldened. Problems become opportunities for God to show up. Difficulties are occasions for the Almighty to make His glory known.
Never apologize for a God-sized vision! Tweet this
We live in a world where finite minds and small spirits oppose mighty acts of courage. People get offended that you actually take God at His Word and dare to have faith in what He has spoken. They will malign you and slander you for believing that God’s promises are bigger than their status quo. We should never apologize for having faith in God’s Word, no matter how implausible it may sound to others. To apologize for your audacity is to rob God of the glory He longs to capture from your following Him “fully.” Like Caleb, we ought to never regret taking God at His Word regardless of the status quo we find ourselves up against.
Remember, beloved, the mediocre majority always dies in the wilderness. But those “different” spirits always find their Promised Land. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
Prayer
Father, we understand that faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We live in a world of skepticism—one where that faith is constantly under fire from finite minds, small spirits, and cynical worldviews. It’s even assaulted by our own inner voices, doubts, and insecurities. We live in the tension of trusting in your promises while being daily confronted by the reality of our circumstances. Help us to view those circumstances rightly—in proportion to the One Who is infinitely good, eternally supreme, and an ever rewarder of those who stand firm in faith. Forgive us where we have shrunk back in fear, and restore us with an unapologetic and holy resolve to boldly take you at your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The mediocre majority always dies in the wilderness. But those “different” spirits always find their Promised Land. Tweet this
Questions for Reflection and/or Family Discussion:
- If you lived during the times of the Wright Brothers, how do you think you would’ve seen their pursuit to fly?
- What’s the most audacious step of faith you have ever taken?
- When has your faith met resistance from the status quo?
- Where have you allowed the reality of your circumstances to speak louder than the greatness of your God? Where have you shrunk back in fear?
- What can you do this week when your faith in God’s promises comes under fire from finite spirits, mediocre minds, cynical majorities, or unfortunate circumstances? How will you respond?
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