the    sides

I love reading about Joshua. Can you imagine following the greatest leader of your people’s short history? Following Moses as the leader? Talk about pressure.

It never seemed to rattle Joshua too much. Okay - there are like 500 references to not be afraid in the first chapter of Joshua but besides that - there really only seems to be one major “Goof” in his leadership…and I’m not sure how public it ever was.

It’s in Joshua 5. The people are enjoying the fruit of the land and for the first time, they are not eating manna. They are coming up on Jericho and Joshua runs into a man with a sword. He immediately challenges him - “Are you for us or against us?”

The man’s answer - “No.”

What the heck kind of answer is that?? No?

That’s the kind of answer you get when you’ve asked the wrong question. The man was the Commander of the Army of the Lord (Jesus?). The real question wasn’t whose side he was on, the question was whose side was Joshua on? Would he yield his leadership to the true Captain of the Army?

To Joshua’s credit, he fell face down to illustrate his answer.

So maybe it wasn’t a goof but it speaks clearly today. So many religious leaders now are concerned with whose side somebody is on and finding 9 million ways to define “God’s Side” of an issue. I wonder how many us would have had Joshua’s humility if Jesus showed up and asked us the same question? Would I be quick to yield my leadership? My position on certain issues?

I wonder.