Caleb - a man with a different spirit

 When God told Moses to ‘send some men to explore the land of Canaan which I am giving to the Israelites’ Number 13:1 the idea was for the men to scout out and explore the land.  It was not up to them to decide whether or not the land could be taken.  God had promised them the land, all they had to do was take it. 

The trouble was they looked at the land, which they freely admitted was a good land flowing with milk and honey and then looked at their own abilities and decided it couldn’t be done.  The problems were too big.  They were not looking to God and his promise.  At the deepest level it was a terrible presumption because they were saying that they knew better than God. It was also a deep unbelief that the God who had performed an amazing array of miracles from the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and quail could not take them into the land.  They did not believe God could bring them into the land he had promised. 

Caleb however was a man with a different spirit who followed God whole heartedly (Numbers 14:24).  When the 10 spies brought their bad report and tried to turn the whole community away from God’s promise, Caleb spoke up and assured everyone that ‘we can certainly do it’ (Numbers 13:30).  Caleb knew that if God, who had delivered them from the Egyptians, the mightiest nation in the region, had promised it then they could do it.  He was looking to God.  Like Abraham, he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised (Romans 4: 20 – 21)

Caleb did not have a ‘who am I?’ mentality.  He had a ‘look at God’ attitude and he had no doubt that God was mighty and could and would do it. 

When God asks us to do something we must not look at ourselves and our abilities and resources. This leads us to re-define God’s plan to fit our abilities instead of re-aligning ourselves to fit God’s plan.  To do that is unbelief and presumption that we know better than God. Instead let us remember what Paul said to the Philippians.  ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ Philippians 4:13 (NKJV). This is not presumption, this is an assurance in the God who holds all things in his hands and who will guide us into his plans and purposes as we trust him.