The Wisdom of Obedience

February 2

Most of us have resigned ourselves to an ordinary station in life. We don’t anticipate being beckoned by movie stars to look after their children or by the president to prepare food for him or his guests. But if we were told that we could achieve a great goal if we would simply do something—well—silly; would we?

Extraordinary things can happen to ordinary people as evidenced by the notoriety and acclaim lavished upon the select few who are invited to participate on programs like AMERICAN IDOL or BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT. Would we be bold enough to take the chance—to try out for the chance—to try for stardom?

Or would we feel too foolish to even try? The Israelites were given an instruction that sounded silly. In the Book of Joshua they were told to march silently seven times around the fortified city of Jericho and at the conclusion of the seventh circumambulation of the city, they were told to shout.

Joshua 6:16 recounts the following to us, “After the seventh time the priests blew the trumpets and Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” Would you believe it? Would you do it? God’s people marched to victory when they were willing to dare to follow the instruction of our unseen God even when His directions sounded foolish.