Joshua 15:14-16 “And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak. . . .And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.”
For what will you be remembered when you are gone? The truth is, you will not be remembered for anything, unless you invest in people who then can have a memory of you! People who are givers are remembered because of the people they have helped; people who are takers are rarely remembered and seldom regarded highly.
Caleb was a different kind of man. His legacy was one of encouraging others to have faith in and obedience to God. He did this through his own example, whether by personally driving out three sons of Anak (verse 14) or offering his own daughter as a wife to any man who would obey God’s command to drive out the Canaanites (verse 16). This was obviously a good deal for Othniel, who took up the challenge and got a wife!
What can we learn from the example of Caleb? Those with a “God can” attitude have more to conquer–and less to fight–in the long run. When you leave off things that should be done now because of a lack of obedience and faith in God, you will find that those issues do not just go away. No sir, they grow and multiply!
In contrast to Caleb’s “God can” attitude, the tribe of Judah “could not drive them [the Jebusites] out.” What was the result? “But the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.” (verse 63) Instead of obedience and faith in what God had promised, Judah stopped short of complete obedience; and this tribe literally lived with that reminder for the rest of their lives. Remember that issues ignored today will remain for tomorrow. Just because I ignore some problem or sin doesn’t mean it will go away!
What you accomplish with a “God can” attitude or what you ignore today will actively define your legacy tomorrow. When you sit by passively and let things go that should be tended to, that passivity will define your legacy in future generations. Don’t allow defeat to be expected or entrenched in your Christian life. Yes, the unknown may be frightening, but the alternative–ignoring what should be and settling for what has been–will be a tyranny to the next generation. The issue today is not the size of your problem; it is the size of God Almighty. And your obedience to the God Who made this world will define your legacy now and in the future. For what will you be remembered?