READING: Joshua 12:7-15:19
It is important that we continually check our hearts, see where we need to grow in Christ, and make commitments to do so. We’ve seen for the last two days of devotions how much it matters that we are committed to doing whatever God calls us to do in His work. On the other hand, evaluation that is only self-evaluation is seldom sufficient to get a true picture of who we are. Instead, we need not only to do self-evaluation, but we also need others evaluating us as well.
Why is that the case? Because if we only do self-evaluation, we can deceive ourselves and not really see ourselves as others see us. On the other hand, relying solely on evaluation from others can result in just the opposite problem: we can deceive others around us by our hypocrisy, and we buy their evaluation even when we know better internally. The best evaluation is the combination of an honest, deep evaluation of self accompanied by an honest, deep evaluation from others.
In today’s reading, Caleb illustrates that truth for us. In evaluating his own life after standing against the disobedient spies, he determined, “For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God” (Josh 14:8). His own assessment was not the final determinant of reality, however. Moses, too, had said the same about Caleb some time before: “you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God” (Josh 14:9). Then, the writer of Joshua likewise concluded about Caleb, “he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel” (Josh 14:14). What a joy it must have been for Caleb to know that his heart didn’t condemn him, the one who led him didn’t condemn him, and those who reflected on his life didn’t condemn him!
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Who helps you evaluate your life?
TODAY’S PRAYER: “Lord, grant me grace to see myself with honesty and the gift of others to help me see myself through their eyes.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Joshua 15:20-17:18
