Today’s Reading, Joshua 9-11
Focal Scripture: Joshua 9:26 “This is what Joshua did to them: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.”
What is a sign of good leadership? Some believe it is being rough and hard on others. Some believe it is leading with grace and mercy. It has been my experience that it is much easier to lead with a heavy hand. It is easier to control a situation than to lead through it rightly. However, it is much more difficult to look at a situation from another persons perspective.
This is what happens in our reading today. Joshua had a group of men come to them and portray a situation that was not true. They lied about where they were from and what they needed. They even had the Israelites swear an oath that they would be protected from any harm. Then the truth was revealed. They were a people who lived in the land and wanted to not be destroyed. Joshua in a stunning show of mercy treated them well even though they deserved punishment.
This story should teach us a lot when it comes to Godly leadership. Before you come to a conclusion you need the entire story. You need to see the other perspective. Seeing people completely with their faults and all demonstrates maturity.
I worked with a person onetime that would hear one side of a story and then run with it as it was true. Almost every time they made rash decisions and treated people poorly. They were wrong the majority of the time. To make matters worse they demonstrated poor leadership and did not seek the truth. They never showed mercy or forgiveness.
Our calling as believers is to emulate Joshua. Our job is to rescue people even when we have the chance to destroy them. Our world needs better leaders who see the big picture. Our world needs believers who show grace and mercy more than they want retribution.
I challenge you today to see others with compassion and grace. The Bible tells us that the way we judge will be how we are judged. That should keep us sober minded and soft hearted.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Joshua 12-15
