Keeping One's Word

We read in Joshua 9:11-15, “Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us. Look at our bread. When we left home with it and started out to meet you, it was still warm. But look! Now it is dry and moldy. When we filled these wineskins, they were new, but look! They are torn. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long trip." The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the LORD about it. Joshua made a treaty of friendship with the people of Gibeon and allowed them to live. The leaders of the community of Israel gave their solemn promise to keep the treaty.” (GNB)

Joshua the man of God was leading the people of Israel who entered into the land that God promised He would give to them. As they progressed they conquered the city of Jericho and Ai, and as they moved forward to conquer more of the land, some of the kings formed an alliance to rise up against Joshua and the Israelites. However, the people of Gibeon thought differently and sought to come under the protection of the Israelites through deception. These men pretended so well, and acted before Joshua as though they were a people who had journeyed from a distant country. They displayed all the things that they brought along with them. The bread they said was freshly baked when they commenced on their journey, and that it had now become dry and moldy. It was a strange thing because no one would keep moldy bread with them as they would only dispose them. They also showed Joshua and the Israelites their wineskins which were torn, and also displayed their clothes and sandals which were worn out, after what seemed like a long journey.

Joshua and the Israelites got deceived, and the Israelites who were marching forward in victory, were now being asked to enter into a treaty with the people of Gibeon who were actually their neighbors. The treaty implied that the Israelites would protect them when they were in danger and vice versa. We don’t know what food the men of Gibeon had with them, but we read that the Israelites accepted some food from them. We read that the Israelites did not consult with God on this matter before they entered into this agreement.

Oftentimes we get hurt, and lose out on many good things because we establish friendship with those who look so sincere and true on the outside, but are in reality not genuine. As time goes by, we will encounter many hardships because of them. It is therefore crucial that every relationship and friendship should be developed only after we pray, and ask God if that friendship is necessary, and is in accordance with God’s will and approval. Only if this is so should we take the next step in that relationship, and this alone will ensure our safety. There are many people whose friendship in their earlier days seemed priceless, and they valued these relationships highly, only to find that these friends were not as they appeared to be. Let us be cautious to note that every relationship and friendship should be built and continued after much prayer, and with God’s consent alone. If not, we should set aside those relationships so that they do not cause us harm.

Avoid those who cause division

Even in the church we have to evaluate every relationship. No one should assume that everybody in church are perfect like angels. Every person is at a different stage in their life, and are also at various stages of maturity. Therefore, it is important that we be careful in the fellowship of believers too, because even here there are those who can cause discord and confusion.

We read about this in Romans 16:17-18, “I urge you, my friends: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people’s faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them! For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people.” (GNB)

The admonition in the above verses is that there will be those who will cause divisions, and also shake the faith of other people. These people cannot bear to see people united, and will intrude to bring discord amongst them. God’s word does not teach us to just be cautious about them, but exhorts us to stay away from them. Their goal is not to serve Christ, but their own sinful appetites. All that they want through ministry is to serve themselves, and to make selfish gain. When certain people come and speak to us we must discern their motives, or else we will surely be hurt for no fault of ours. These people use their fine words, and flattering speech to deceive innocent people.