The Wisest Teacher

"The Karate Kid" (1984) movie was an instant classic.  I remember my brother and cousin rehearsing the final "crane kick" over and over, trying to make it look as real as possible without making contact.  The film had a bit of everything people like in movies:  classic lines, funny moments, and the underdog winning.

My favourite character in the film was Mr. Miyagi, the gruff custodian who had an amazing house, sprawling deck, car collection, and taught karate like a boss.  By looking at him you just knew Mr. Miyagi was a stud and was not to be messed with.  Who sits around trying to catch flies with chopsticks?  When whingy Daniel complained about all the chores Miyagi told him to do after agreeing to teach him karate, he was as surprised of the plot twist as I was - he had unwittingly been doing karate drills all day and into the night when he was waxing cars, sanding floors, and painting the fence.  Miyagi was wise, though Daniel didn't think so as he worked.  The one Daniel likely cursed under his breath of being a lazy, lying, selfish Sensei was the one who was forging him into a champion.

Mr. Miyagi didn't write a book on wisdom, but the methods he employed to train Daniel are similar to the ways God trains His people to serve Him.  In his sweat and toil Daniel grew bitter because he wasn't doing what he wanted to do, and we can act the same towards God.  We have these arbitrary expectations of what God has called us to not realising He desires to do a work in us too.  Many people are impatient to enter into missionary or pastoral work thinking it all begins with arriving in the field or being ordained by men.  Do you find it interesting Jesus did not go to the synagogue or utilise Pharisee Labour Ready to fill His full-time ministry staff vacancies?  He went to fishermen as they mended their nets; He called a tax collector when he was on the job.  In my case, He sought me out after a career spanning a decade in mechanical insulation I genuinely loved and was content.  He had ordained me to be a pastor and directed me and my family to leave my home in SoCal for Australia.  Even Mr. Miyagi couldn't have predicted that.

So you want to serve God in ministry?  Don't be surprised if He has you doing the equivalent of sanding floors and painting fences - things which seem totally unrelated to what your ideas of ministry preparation are.  One thing about Daniel LaRusso we should take to heart is he stuck around.  He had an awful attitude, sour as can be, but he gritted his teeth and did every task he was directed morning to night - even when unsupervised.  And when he couldn't take it anymore, Mr. Miyagi graciously let him in on what he was doing by throwing punches at him.  Suddenly Daniel realised:  there was a reason behind all those chores.  What seemed completely unrelated and a waste of his time was a critical investment in his development.  God requires His servants to be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:2).  Daniel's labours did not earn him the right to learn karate, though that is what it seemed at the time.  Not one of us is worthy to be acknowledged, taught, or trained by God to accomplish His purposes, but the servants worth their salt are those who gladly do the hard yards in obedience to Jesus.  God is much more than a divine "sensei" for the word means, "one who came before."  Jesus existed before the beginning of all things and will endure forever as the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last who graciously gives eternal life to all who trust in Him.

I believe there are many people called by God to be His special ministers who miss their chance because they weren't willing to faithfully do the little things God has placed before them.  They are called to preach and teach, not clean carpets and give rides.  They are called to lead worship, not move chairs or update a website.  They are not content to do chores but want the equivalent of a black belt based upon their sense of God's calling alone.  This sort will always fall short of God's potential for them.  If we labour and are useful for the glory of God, it is all of His grace.  No task is too low for a child of God to embrace, for Jesus humbled Himself to put on human flesh, be the servant of all, and willingly died on the cross.  If God has you sanding floors, do that monotonous and back-breaking task with all your might unto Him.  Someday the season of sanding will finish and you will be blown away how God used it to smooth your rough edges.  If Jesus is your Good Teacher, you will discover His ways and methods are higher than yours!  For those who humble themselves to take the lowest place, ultimately God will say to them:  "Friend, come up higher!"

Kindness to the Dead

Naomi was a woman in the Bible who suffered the loss of her husband and two sons in Moab, having left Bethlehem due to a famine.  She returned home bitter and empty years later with daughter-in-law Ruth.  The people of Bethlehem hardly recognised the grief-stricken woman whose only companion was a foreigner.  Though Naomi had forgotten happier days, God had not forgotten Naomi.  He would provide for her abundantly in unexpected ways, and her mourning would be turned to joy.

Ruth went out to glean in a field and was kindly greeted by the owner named Boaz.  He was kind to Ruth, having been appraised of her loyalty towards her mother-in-law and the God of Israel, and invited her to remain in his field throughout the harvest.  When Ruth returned home carrying a large amount of grain, Naomi was pleasantly surprised with her success.  After Ruth divulged she had gathered in a field belonging to Boaz, consider Naomi's response Ruth 2:20:  "Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!" And Naomi said to her, "This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives."

Isn't it amazing how God is kind both to the living and the dead?  Without a husband the womb of Naomi was good as dead, and her husband and sons all had passed away.  There was no way the inheritance could be retained in the family, but what is impossible with men is possible with God.  Those who die are beyond our help, but God would show kindness to the dead by providing Boaz as a husband for Ruth.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, "Naomi's mind immediately perceived the significance of the situation. Even the dead might soon be blessed, in that the name of Elimelech, her dead husband, could live on through her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth. Boaz was a close relative, but more than that, he was a kinsman-redeemer. He could act as a redeemer of property and persons."  God's kindness was not only for dead Elimelech and his house, but for the widowed Naomi and Ruth.  God is able to bring life from death.  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead demonstrates His power over sin and death and proves the reality of the Gospel.

God allowed Jesus to die on the cross and rise again so all who are dead in sins and believe in Him can be redeemed forever.  We were dead and without hope, but God has given us eternal life through the Gospel!  Ephesians 2:1-7 reads, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."  God has not forgotten to show kindness to the living and to the dead.  He doesn't only raise up seed to carry on our family name but raises us from the dead to life to carry on His name as His adopted children.

Blessed be God, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!

Healthy Spiritual Choices

A wholesome diet and regular exercise are fundamental to good health.  Being discerning about what and how much we eat has a far greater impact than mere outer appearance.  Quality nutrition helps our bodies grow, repair, boosts our immune system, aids digestion, and has many other benefits.  Exercise strengthens muscles, burns fat, increases flexibility, and is good for the heart and brain.  Our attention to diet and exercise is voluntary.  For the most part we make the decision to go for a walk, eat vegetables, limit our intake of processed sugar, drink more water, or avoid alcohol.

Knowing food is more or less healthy - or honestly not healthy at all - does not mean making these personal decisions are easy.  It is hard to restrict ourselves when it comes to diet, and it can be difficult to maintain motivation to exercise.  Sometimes we are determined and dedicated to meet our goals, and other times we have no goal except to eat what we want at the time.  This difficult task of balancing our lives for optimum health physically shows the challenges which we face spiritually.  What we eat and drink is often far easier to monitor and control than what what we take in through our eyes and ears from this world we live in.

No one can force you to drink whiskey when you are alone in your room at night, but images which stir the flesh can flash across your screen.  Profane language and cursing can fill our ears through shows on TV or videos.  The problem is, we are passive players in the process.  To eat you must first pick up the food, place it in your mouth, and choose to swallow it down.  Social media, TV, and the internet brings a stream of potentially foul material we weren't looking for.  There are countless things we see and hear which which are not agreeable to our new nature in Christ.  Granted, there are times we do not have a choice in the matter.  But let us not deceive ourselves:  much of the time we do.  We can turn off a device, we can walk away, and we can throw things out.  We are not at the mercy of this world to tell us what we should see or listen to.  That is God's rightful place.

If food or drink we consume has gone bad, our bodies will grow suddenly ill.  Our bodies are created by God to purge out contaminants and to be cleansed from within.  When a person watches smut, reads filth, hears profane speech, or is exposed to what stirs the flesh to fantasise and sin with their body, it has a negative effect on the health of the soul - even as a diet high in saturated fat and sugar is bad for the heart.  Binge drinking of alcohol is hazardous for the health of a person and affects his or her ability to make good decisions, and going on a sinful "bender" of looking at sensual images is troubling to body and soul.  There are no health benefits whatsoever to drunkenness, and there is only suffering and sorrow awaiting those who willingly expose themselves to what lures them to sin.

What we eat and drink has an impact on our bodies, and what we see and hear affects the way we think.  Indulging the flesh by eating too much leads to a temporary stomach ache, but indulging the flesh through what we see and hear wounds our souls.  These inner wounds do not heal on their own but only through faith in Christ expressed by repentance and obedience.  As much as depends upon us, let us monitor our intake - not just of food and drink - but of what we willingly expose ourselves to.  When you scroll, what are you looking for?  Let us be discerning of what we seek and make decisions to honour God rather than satisfying the fleeting curiosity of the flesh which is intent on bondage and destruction.  As a man thinks so he is, and as we make godly choices with what we see and hear it will have a most positive impact on our spiritual health and vitality.  The choice is yours!

Rejoice in Christ Our Peace

When people request prayer, it is usually to seek help in time of need.  So many problems we face in life are bigger than our ability to solve or fix, and God has graciously invited all who believe Him to make our requests known to God.  We can make requests with thanksgiving and through Jesus enter into His rest, knowing God hears us and is able to accomplish all that concerns us today and always.

Have you noticed the frequency, duration, and fervency of our prayers typically rise in times of trouble?  It struck me recently how God uses trials and difficulties to prompt us - even drive us to pray for people normally who are not in our thoughts.  When we hear of tragedies and atrocities across the world we are moved to pray for people we do not know and will likely never meet.  Prayer has the capacity to invite God's aid into every corner of the globe and beg Him to minister on behalf of people who do not even know Him.  How glorious and generous God is, and He redeems trouble by moving Christians to pray.

In a world inundated with bad news, it is easy to lose a godly perspective.  We begin to focus on the problems, man's hollow solutions, and our inability to change the world (or even ourselves!) for good.  But faith in Christ enables us to rejoice in God whatever the circumstances.  Philippians 4:4-7 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  Trouble itself has a silver lining when it prompts us to pray.

How good it is, believer, instead of only bringing our concerns or complaints before the LORD that we praise Him for the awesome God He is.  Regardless of our circumstances God remains good and unchanging.  He did not save us to forsake us, nor did He purchase us to disown us.  A good mother will not forget to care for her infant child, and God will never neglect us.  God's love, grace, and magnificent power is beyond anything which threatens us, and His truth cannot be shaken or dissolved by a billion voices who clamour against it.  He has situated our souls upon a Rock of eternal salvation, and we are kept in the hollow of His hand from harm.  Even the young lions suffer hunger, but those who fear the LORD will lack no good thing.  The youths will faint and grow weary, but our LORD does not slumber or sleep.  Let us praise Him, the Good Shepherd of our souls!

We quickly forget how good God is when pains overwhelm us, but God is not overwhelmed.  He is mighty to save, glorious in power, and unparalleled in majesty.  Instead of worrying, let us be praying.  And in our praying, let us make our requests with thanksgiving.  Then we will know something of the peace of God which guards our hearts and minds.  Stealing candy from a baby is an easy thing to do, but no trial or trouble can steal our Peace (Eph. 2:14) from a helpless child of God who cries out to Him in faith.

Abundant Consolation

In God is great consolation.  We need not despair even in trying times of suffering, for God is gracious and full of mercy.  Our trials do not test God in any way, as if anything is difficult for Him, but we are tested by trouble God allows.  God has a miraculous ability to use great pains to accomplish His redemptive purposes.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-6, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. ⁶ Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation."  God allows difficult and painful circumstances so we might look to Him as our comfort.  Our natural bent is to avoid anything which resembles tribulation, yet these trials are opportunities for God to abundantly comfort and console.  When Paul suffered persecution for the sake of Christ, he recognised other believers were strengthened and encouraged by his steadfastness.  Likewise, when Paul was comforted those praying for him were encouraged by the answers God supplied.

Consolation is a word we don't use often in conversation which is defined in the Webster's 1828 Dictionary as, "The primary sense is either to set or allay, to give rest or quiet, or the sense is to strengthen, in which case it coincides with the root of solid. The latter is most probable. To comfort; to cheer the mind in distress or depression; to alleviate grief, and give refreshment to the mind or spirits; to give contentment or moderate happiness by relieving from distress."  When I think about being "consoled" it is the picture of a mother or father gathering their distressed little one in their arms, assuring everything will be alright.  The one offering comfort has not changed the situation at all, but their presence changes everything; their assurance is received as gospel truth without question based upon their loving relationship and compassion towards their little one.

So it is with God's consolation of his distressed little ones who face all manner of suffering He allows.  He does not always intervene and change our circumstances to our liking, nor does He change the past.  But He offers us His divine presence and speaks truth from His Word to comfort us when our world seems to be falling apart.  Whatever disturbs our hearts is not beyond His power to change, but He seeks to change our hearts in the midst of trials to implicitly trust Him and look for no deliverance except by His strength and power.  In all tribulation there is abundant consolation for us, and this is the birthright of every child of God who turns their eyes to Jesus.  Praise the LORD for the rest and strength we find in our Saviour!

Neutral No Longer

It is good for every child of God to acknowledge we cannot safely be neutral towards sin in our lives.  Imagine if the children of Israel had remained "neutral" towards the existence of Jericho and tried to enter the land of promise!  This would not have made the inhabitants of the land supportive, helpful, or friendly.  Even a small city like Ai would have grown into a fortified stronghold where the enemy gained strength to subvert the efforts of God's people.  To win even a simple game strategy is employed, and the enemy of our souls does not play:  he fights for keeps.

Carelessness is a killer.  I have a friend whose brother is a hunter and after decades of handling firearms he blew his finger off.  My dad, who has been a skilled woodworker for most of his life, pushed the tips of two fingers into a tablesaw.  Both of these preventable accidents had life-long physical consequences.  I had mowed lawns for decades before my foot slipped under the spinning blades and pulverised my boot (thankfully my foot was fine but the boot was never the same).  Sometimes it takes a mistake for us to treat a potentially dangerous tool with the care it warrants.  Guns, saws, and spinning blades are obviously dangerous if mishandled, yet the internet and mobile phones are powerful tools which are extremely dangerous to mind and soul without proper safeguards.

We can damage our physical bodies in a moment, but we can also do so through repetitive actions.  Sinful thought patterns and looking at lustful images momentarily and over time will do more damage to our mind than a gunshot wound to the hand.  Whilst the gunshot wound is obvious and painful, we often do not realise the damage we do to ourselves through feeding the flesh through the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life.  We cannot remain neutral towards the things we see as if they do not affect us.  We must deal harshly with all which stirs up the flesh and leads to greater sin.  In addition to prayer we must cull not only the sin which enters but seal the gaps in our defences.  The choice to veer from the path of righteousness for a moment is sin.  Sin occurs in the mind and heart often long before we physically act out on it.

Jesus Christ our Saviour has put His foot on the neck of every sin which slinks around in the darkness.  There can be no coddling, no mercy shown to sin which grovels, pleads for its life, and makes vain promises like a captured villain deserving of death.  In Joshua 10 there were five enemy kings who hid in a cave when their armies were routed.  Joshua did not bring them food, water, or blankets with an apology or offer of peace.  He commanded these wicked kings to lay on the ground and for his men to place their feet on their necks.  Joshua 10:25-26 reads, "Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." ²⁶ And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening."  We must be valiant as Joshua was to purge the land of wicked rulers as it concerns our own sin.  Christ has struck the killing blow on Calvary, and it is His victory we are enabled to walk in by His grace.

We must declare war on our sin and be neutral no longer, for sin is not neutral towards us.  Sensible homeowners will not allow wild rats to breed in their homes without taking action to eradicate them.  Remaining "neutral" to a rat invasion leads to damage, disease, and even a home being condemned.  If we will take action on a rat we hear chewing and clawing around because of negative potential consequences, how can we remain neutral to sin which leads to death?  God forgive me when I have ignored my sin instead of waging war in Christ's name!  It is always time to fight for the glory of God - not crusading against unbelieving enemies "out there" but taking up the fight to personally walk victorious in Christ Jesus.

Walking Worthy

Yesterday I heard a song refrain which repeated, "Lord of glory, make us worthy to possess your name."  I read that artists and painters can be poor expositors, and on occasion Christian lyrics can fall into this category.  The most melodic music and uplifting harmony, from a biblical view, is only as good as its adherence to sound doctrine.  Whilst there is freedom in Christ and creativity in expression, it is good for all followers of Jesus to examine the words we hear and sing.

My ears perked up at the phrase, "make us worthy."  Is this something God ever promises to do, to make us worthy of Him?  In my study of scripture man is deemed worthy of many things - like punishment, discipline, and death.  The fact God greatly values man does not mean there is intrinsic worthiness in us.  If we in any way are worthy of God or to be a partaker of His glory by ourselves or efforts then our salvation is not of grace.  We are saved by grace through faith, and therefore any assertion of our worthiness is dashed to pieces like a clay vessel.  Like in the cult classic "Wayne's World" when Wayne and Garth bowed before Alice Cooper shouting "We're not worthy!" none of us are worthy to "hang out" with God based upon our own merit.

Having been born again through the Gospel and filled with the Spirit of God, we continue to reside in a sinful body of flesh.  In our flesh we are no more worthy of God than ever before, yet in His grace God enables us to walk worthy of Him.  We do not deserve God, and He deserves better than us.  It is solely due to God's grace and mercy we are adopted as children and have fellowship with God.  We are Christ's ambassadors to the world now divinely enabled to walk worthy of Him.  John the Baptist was not worthy to loosen Christ's sandal strap, and no one was found but Christ in heaven or earth worthy to break the seals and open the scroll in Revelation 5.  Jesus is the only One worthy of worship, honour, glory, and praise.  It is only by His grace we are invited and able to enter in.

Paul wrote to believers in 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12, "You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; ¹¹ as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹² that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory."  We are not worthy, but we should walk worthy of God who has called us by His grace - devoutly, justly, and blameless.  It is fitting we like Paul would exhort, comfort, and charge others to also walk in a manner worthy of Christ's example.  It is only through His indwelling Spirit we are made to walk worthy when we relinquish ourselves to be His possession.

The Future is History

It is always exciting for me to discover new connections in the Bible.  The God who designed this universe has also crafted the remarkable tapestry of history, revealing His handiwork throughout.  History is not filled with what some might mistakenly call coincidences, but signposts directing us to what God later did and even causes us to look expectantly to God for the future.

The city of Jerusalem in Israel, situated on ancient Mt. Moriah, is an amazing biblical site.  Probably one of the most famous instances regarding the site is it is the location Abraham took his beloved son Isaac at the command of the LORD to present him as a burnt offering.  Abraham believed the promises of God to make of him a great nation yet did not hesitate to do what God commanded him.  He laid the wood in order, bound his son, and took the knife to slay Isaac.  Genesis 22:11-12 says, "But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." ¹² And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."  Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught in a thicket, and offered the ram as a sacrifice to the LORD on Mt. Moriah.

Fast forward about 860 years when King Solomon began to build the Temple in Jerusalem.  2 Chronicles 3:1 reads, "Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."  Not only is the location of the temple on Mt. Moriah the place where Abraham took Isaac to be sacrificed, but it is place where King David saw the angel of the LORD in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  David had sinned in the numbering of the people of Israel and did not take the required ransom (Ex. 30:12).  God caused an ensuing plague to kill 70,000 men in Israel.  2 Samuel 24:16 tells us, "And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."  King David purchased the threshing floor and offered burnt sacrifices to God, and this is the exact place where the Temple was built.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem today is revered by many as the "foundation stone" of creation, and it is interesting these two historical events occurred there.  The name "Jerusalem" means "city of peace," and in both instances God commanded for the lives of people be spared.  Abraham was told to put down the knife; the angel of the LORD was commanded to sheath his sword.  Both of the occasions ended with sacrifices being offered to God in worship, to God who is our Peace.  Looking ahead, this is the place foretold by scripture that Jesus Christ will return with a sword to judge the world in righteousness and in Jerusalem He will establish His throne.  Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God provided as an offering for sin, and in due time the risen LORD will be revealed to all in glory.  Out of His mouth will come a sharp sword to smite unbelieving nations, and He will not spare or pity in that notable Day.  Unless God is gracious all would surely be consumed.

When Solomon built the Temple there were two notable pillars mentioned in 2 Chronicles 3:17:  "Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz."  The meanings of these names are insightful:  "He shall establish" and "In it is strength."  Those great pillars were eventually torn down by Babylonian invaders, but the Word of God is established and will endure forever.  The Messiah promised by God has established a New Covenant and shall establish His kingdom on earth, and in Him is strength.  It is fitting the Prince of Peace should reign in Jerusalem, the city of peace, and all will bow the knee before Him.  Our God is one of justice and judgment, but also of restraint.  He is greatly to be feared yet gracious, longsuffering, and merciful.  When God says, "It is enough," He will see it done and all will behold Him.

Down the Road

When God called the children of Israel to drive out the inhabitants of the Promised Land, they did so with varying degrees of success.  They were told not to make leagues (alliances) with the people of the land but to destroy all who opposed them.  The Gibeonites, hearing of the Israelite advance, out of fear of their great God disguised themselves as distant foreigners.  Joshua and the elders were flattered and pleased by the proposal and made an alliance with them - without seeking guidance from God.  Their neglect of seeking God caused them to ignorantly sin by doing exactly what God forbade them to do.

Whilst the failure with the Gibeonites is commonly known, I came across an interesting passage which had a similar outcome.  The house of Joseph went up against Bethel (formerly called Luz) and the spies struggled to find the hidden entrance to the city.  Judges 1:24-25 reads, "And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy." ²⁵ So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go."  The men of the house of Joseph did not seek the LORD but asked for the help of a man who departed the city.  They promised to show him mercy and were true to their word.

I was surprised when I read Judges 1:26:  "And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day."  The ancient city of Luz was later called Bethel by Jacob, meaning the "house of God."  The single man and his family to whom was extended mercy went to the land of Hittites and established a new city called "Luz," a city named after the ancient one.  The name "Luz" means "as growing there."  The slackness of the house of Joseph to obey God to eradicate the inhabitants of the land led to Luz being rebuilt and fortified in the land of  the Hittites, a people hostile to God and His people.  Disobedience to God causes problems to grow in our lives which will impact us and others.

This made me consider how important it is for us to seek God and heed His Word.  It seemed a little thing to show mercy to one God had deemed under judgment, but see the fruit of their negligence!  Like a single cancer cell can grow and spread throughout the body, a little disobedience and slackness will certainly lead to a future threat upon our spiritual and physical well-being.  There is no mention in the book of Judges of the house of Joseph doing what was commanded by God in Deuteronomy 20:10-11:  "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. ¹¹ And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you."  They showed mercy to a man who had no intention of agreeing to conditions of peace, and future generations faced hardened enemies and strongholds because of it.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!  Our God is a merciful God, but let us not be merciful to corrupting influences in our lives.  Should we do what is right in our eyes, we will later reap what we have sown and increased problems down the road - in some cases literally.