Are you passionate about the area God has assigned you to lead? (76-2)
One of my personal heroes of the Bible has very little written about him but a lot said about him because of his actions. Read Numbers 13:26-33 and Joshua 14:6-14.
Caleb was one of the spies sent into the land of Canaan before Israel’s planned invasion. When the spies returned, they told Moses that “the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendents of Anak there” (Numbers 13:28). “Then Caleb … said ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it’” (Numbers 13:30). I love that Caleb did not disagree with the facts given by the other spies, there were cities and giants in the land. Caleb didn’t minimize the obstacles, but neither did he minimize the resources available to overcome the obstacles.
Caleb stated his position, gave solid arguments to support his position but when it was rejected he didn’t sulk or rebel he still acted nobly; he got with the program that Moses laid out. Caleb was a man of passion and purpose.
When we next see Caleb, 45 years later, Israel is back in Canaan dividing up the land. As a reward for his faithfulness, God had promised Caleb first choice of property in the Promised Land and Caleb was ready to receive the promise. Caleb’s response should inspire any leader: “Now then, just as the Lord promised, He has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time He said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eight-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised to me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.”
Caleb was passionate about taking this land and still wanted to lead his tribe against the toughest the enemy had to offer. Caleb was a great leader because he had great passion. He had a great passion because he had a great purpose. He had a great purpose because he had a great God that he knew and trusted.
Are you passionate about the area God has assigned you to lead? If so, thank God and ask for more passion. If not ask God why not. It could be that you are not where God assigned you or you have let the mundane of the daily work steal your joy and passion or you are focused on the wrong things. Ask God to help you identify how to get your passion and purpose back.
