“She thinks…”

Congratulations to Jenny who posted on 2014/01/29 at 4:38 pm! If you’ll send me your full name and address, Jenny, I’ll get my message, “Why Wait?” right out to you!

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“I bet she thinks…” “He probably thinks…” All day long, my mind creates scenarios that aren’t real and conversations that never happen.  Next thing I know, I’m bummed out; in a ditch. All over something only in my mind. What a mess I can be!

I love how God shows His faithfulness to me by showing me I’m not alone. I’m not the only one who lets my mind swirl then allows my heart to listen. The Israelites did too.

The time had finally come…God’s people were really going to move into the land He had promised. Wanting to know exactly what they were getting into, Moses picked out 12 guys to go on ahead. His instructions were pretty easy, “See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (Numbers 13:17 – 20) (NLT)

Notice not what Moses said, but what he didn’t say.

 

“Can you take them?”  is not the question Moses wanted the answer to. He wasn’t asking the scouts to go in and find out if God’s people were strong enough to overtake the enemy. Moses knew God; knew God wouldn’t send them into a situation where His power wouldn’t meet them.

So they’re off…

After 40 days, the scouts come back with this report, “We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought too!” (Numbers 13:33)

That’s what they thought too?

There is no indication the scouts had even one conversation with anyone in the new land.

Not one.

So, if they never heard them, never talked to them, how could they have possibly know what they were thinking?

That’s right. They couldn’t.

They didn’t.

They assumed.

They assumed the people looked down on them. But what basis did they have for believing this?

None.

The 10 men allowed their feelings, fear, and insecurities to weave into their minds thoughts the neighbor thought…without any proof that they had those thoughts at all!

The scouts’ feelings determined what they thought about the neighbors’ thoughts!

Then they allowed what they thought about the neighbors’ thoughts to determine what they said and what they said brought down a entire community.

Over a million people gave up on God’s best because of the thoughts of 10 men. Ten men, assuming they knew the thoughts of others.

The fact is, unless someone gives voice to their thoughts, we cannot possibly know what another is thinking. When we allow our minds to create conversations that haven’t taken place and weave scenarios that haven’t happen, like the 10 scouts, we are building a case for defeat.

Today, be a scout of your heart. Be on the look out. On your job, in your home, at your school…be a spy. Looking for clues, listen for word “think”. “I wonder if they think….” “Do they think…”. Hearing the word “think”, stop. Remind yourself. You cannot possibly know what they think. What matters is what God thinks. He thinks: “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.” Song of Solomon 4:7 

Now that is one thought worth sharing with your whole community!

 

Lynn

2 Comments

  1. What a great insight! I have never thought about the ten spies in this way. Keeping my thoughts focused on what I know to be true instead of what I fear to be true is something I’m continually working on. Thank you!

    1. Lynn Cowell says:

      Isn’t it so cool how we can read the same story over and over and then God can show us something new? His word is so alive!

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