A Lesson Learned

The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River. So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them. [Joshua 22.11-12]

The moral of this story is very clear: Just because people think something is one way or another does not make it so. After Israel found out what the actual intention of the tribes of Reuben and Gad was, there was no issue.

So, what do we do? Does everything we do require that we take into consideration what everyone else thinks before we do it?

I had to ask God for forgiveness today because of offense in my life. This offense slowly crept up on me as I realized that, in a particular event I was overseeing, I made a decision one way that I later gave in to pressure to change because a couple of people "needed" me to do so. Then, the very people I changed it for did not even participate in the event! Now I am offended and no one is the wiser.

So, I am the jerk if I do not comply with everyone's wishes and I am the jerk if I call them out on their fickleness!

I guess I should just do what seems to be the Lord's leading and be ready to "explain the altar" if they get offended. A lesson learned.

Father, help me to release offenses that come because people are fickle. Help me to follow You first and foremost.