Today's Scripture Reading (February 27, 2022): Joshua 23
American economist and social theorist Thomas Sowell
argues that "Some of the biggest cases of
mistaken identity are among intellectuals who have trouble remembering that
they are not God." The words should be considered as a warning to some of
our politicians and to all who follow them. We do not elect gods to lead our
nations. We elect flesh and blood people, all of whom hold onto fallible
policies and belief systems. And so do we. Maybe nothing has been made clearer
to us in the past several years than that our politicians are often an
imperfect reflection of us. None of us have all of the answers; all that anyone
can ask of any of us is that we do our very best. Too many modern political
leaders and autocrats seem to have come to the undefendable position that they
are gods and that they both know and can exercise perfect policies. But the
truth is that they are wrong; they are lying to themselves and us.
Joshua
makes his final address. He has led Israel for just over three decades, and he
knows that his time on this earth is swiftly coming to a close. He has no
illusions about what the future might hold. He tells Israel, "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth." It is
one of the truths of this life. We all have a shelf life that will eventually
expire. One day the time will come for us to leave just as it has for all who
have gone before us. None of us are gods, and none of us will live forever.
I
think a lot of us struggle with that thought. It is not just that a day will
come when we won't be here, but also that a day will come when our family and
friends won't be able to depend on us because we have finished the journey as
is true "of all the earth." And sometimes, it is hard for us to
understand how this world might survive without us. But the truth is that the
world was fine before we arrived, and it will be fine after we leave, even
though that might be hard for some of us to hear.
Today,
nothing remains of Joshua except for his example and a few of his words. And
the truth is that Joshua was a fallible leader, as are we all. Maybe the
weakest part of his leadership was that he didn't appear to prepare a leader to
take the mantle of leadership from him when he went "the way of all the
earth." His strategy was clearly to place that mantle of leadership on
each of his followers. Joshua told them clearly that they should "choose
for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors
served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land
you are living" (Joshua 24:15). But he also made clear that he had made
his choice; "as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"
(Joshua 24:15).
Joshua
knew that his life was coming to an end. But before he left the stage, the
leader of Israel wanted His followers to understand that while he might have
failed as a leader, God never had. All that God had promised had come true. And
if they were faithful, God would lead them into an uncertain future. And in a
world with Joshua or without him, that was all that they needed to know. God
would keep his promises, and God was always enough for the nation that chose to
follow him.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 24
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