Numbers 13:17-33; Joshua 14:7-8

Kunle Olabode

'I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly' (Joshua 14:7-8).

Over the years we must have read, thought and meditated much about Caleb and his attitude in the face of opposition. We must have realised that Caleb had what can be rightly termed a 'winner's mindset'. This is especially so in a fast changing world like ours, that brings up difficulties in quick succession. May the story and lessons from the life of Caleb inspire our hearts to unshakable commitment and determination to succeed in our life endeavours against all odds.

For Caleb, whole-heartedness meant reporting truthfully about what he had seen on his trip to spy out the land of Canaan. It also meant using his natural human analytical skills, and publicly expressing his faith in the promise of God that the land was theirs for the taking. Here, I like to submit to us that faithful living does not mean living in unreality; denying things that are difficult or frightening, pretending or deluding oneself to make life easier. No, whole-hearted faithful living in biblical terms exemplified by Joshua and Caleb means a realistic vision of life added to a realistic faith in God who is actually there. Jehovah is the God who is powerful to save and faithful to His promises.

The majority of other spies who undertook the journey with Caleb reported, "We can't attack those people...We seemed like grasshoppers". But even grasshoppers, with the support of heaven, can overcome giants. If God be for us, no person or circumstance can overcome us.

Canaan is a picture of the spiritual rest to be enjoyed by every believer. Because Jesus died, salvation is our inheritance; but we possess only as much of it as we claim by faith. It is as we follow the Lord wholeheartedly that we enter into the fullness of God's blessings for us. When gigantic spiritual forces attempt to frustrate you from enjoying your inheritance in Christ, imagine Caleb among the cloud of witnesses urging him on with this words, "Grasshoppers can defeat giants".

Caleb had the right perspective from the beginning and saw victory where others saw problems. Where others saw only trouble, he saw deliverance. Where others saw only giants, he saw God. May God grant us such firmness of heart and mind - the 'winner's mindset'!