…isn’t always easy. There are times and circumstances that we face which when right and wrong are more like shades of gray than they are black and white. There are those moments when a choice presents itself when both (or all!) options seem more than ‘okay;’ times when we have to decide about jobs, health procedures, organizational strategy, whether to stay or go in any number of things, or the best course of action for a loved one and their future… and the details, options, and consequences are anything but simple.
In Joshua 9 & 10, there are principles demonstrated to the reader about how to handle those times when we don’t know what the ‘right thing to do’ is. The people of Israel are in the midst of a progressive military campaign as they work to conquer & claim land promised in generations past. They have faced and overcome many obstacles; individuals have risked their own lives and families for the sake of a greater cause; all the while God has shown he alone is the Leader, Provider, and Conqueror.
Word comes to these same people that an army unlike anything they had faced thus far had amassed… and is heading directly toward their position. Israel’s battle tacticians and warrior-leader, Joshua, begin planning strategy, knowing there are many battles which still lie ahead… and that if they can’t deal with the obstacle heading their way, all will be lost.
In this midst of this, a band of tired, road-weary, seemingly desperate travelers comes their way seeking a treaty of peace. And the Joshua, the Israelites, (and us, too!) learn some hard lessons in doing the right thing. Over the next few Joshua posts, we’ll discover what some of those lessons are.
