Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. – Joshua 23:7

Today's Scripture Reading (April 14, 2025): Joshua 23

We are highly moldable people if the price is right. Having a monetary bribe isn't always necessary; sometimes, it appeals to much more of the core of our being and our dreams than just money. I have watched a lot of brilliant friends and people with a morality that I greatly respect change what they believe without even realizing it because of political pressure. And that worries me.

It was the concern of my parents when I was a kid. The people I hung around with could greatly influence my behavior, but even more importantly, people would have an impact on what I believed. The reality was that they knew I was moldable, but so were they. And the people we spend time with are given a chance to be the ones who mold us.

Maybe more significantly, I have recently watched supporters of President Donald Trump change their minds because of the economics of tariffs. Yes, I have a problem with that. The argument I have heard from this cadre of friends is that President Trump is a profoundly moral man. I may disagree, but if you believe that, then tariffs shouldn't change that evaluation. We need leaders in our nations who have a high sense of right and wrong and are positive influencers. But these people are not accidental freaks of nature. They are people who have spent time with people who they want to emulate in life. They are people who have made sure that other positive influencers influenced them. 

Joshua reminds Israel that they are not only moldable as people but also as a nation. As nations, we will become like the countries we spend time with, support, or trade with. Friends on the national stage need to be nations with similar values to those we hold. For Israel, that wasn't the one that existed in Canaan. If they spent time with these nations or grew to respect them, they would also come to respect their gods. These gods would lead them into sin. 

Israel could not get to the place where they bowed down or promised to serve these nations. God promised the Israelites that as long as they served him, they would not be forced to bow down to these nations. But if they sinned, they would find themselves in situations they did not want to experience.

Nothing has really changed. Who is it that our nations bow down to? I know I am concerned about some of those relationships because I don't want my nation to become like those other nations. The time has come to send a message to our politicians; it is time to stand for right and wrong, develop relationships with nations who believe the same things as we do, and who project themselves on the world stage with values that we can share. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 24