Jump Start # 463

Numbers 14:24 “But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” 

  Today, we look at another passage about Caleb. Yesterday we saw, at the age of 85, he declared that he wanted the “hill country” – even though that meant challenges. In our verse today, God is telling Israel who will enter the land He promised. For most, nearly all, they would not get to go in, their children would. God had Israel march around the desert for forty years—basically getting the next generation ready. Israel had been grumbling, and faithless and God wouldn’t have anything to do with it. The nation that left Egypt would not be the people that entered the new land—it would be their grown kids—that is, except for Joshua and Caleb.

  God tells us why Caleb gets to enter in—he has a different spirit and has followed God fully. Today, I want to talk about “the different spirit.”

  Different—I guess in many ways, even though we’d hate to admit it, we are all different in our own ways. Many of us have unusual and odd ways of combining foods, such as pickles and peanut butter, mustard and potato chips, or putting ketchup on just about everything. We are different in that way.

  Some dress differently and look differently—especially from their parents. Spiked hair, pierced lips, funky clothes—they definitely won’t be confused with their parents. Some listen to different music—it’s called, “alternative.”  Some excuse wrong behavior by saying, “I’m different.” That doesn’t cut it with God.

  There are many ways people are different. Caleb was none of those. He was different in a spiritual way, a godly way. When most of the nation was gripping to God, Caleb wasn’t. When most of the nation was fearful, Caleb was trusting God. When the nation wanted to return back to Egypt, Caleb wasn’t caught up in that. He was different. He thought for himself and above all things, he was spiritual. He loved the Lord.

  In the N.T. Paul told the Romans to “not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Be different, but not for the sake of getting attention, nor use that to promote some protest or agenda, those are not the reasons. Be different because you walk with God. You don’t laugh at sin. You don’t make fun of others. You don’t complain, rather you praise. You don’t go negative, you stay positive. You don’t blame God, you defend God. Different—in a godly way.

  You love Sunday’s—not because it’s the day to shop, sleep in or big sports day, but because you get to worship. You read your Bible during the week—not to earn a “get out of Hell” card, but, believe it or, you enjoy reading it. You like to think deep. You like to be challenged spiritually. You trust in the promises of God. That’s different.

  It will show in your attitudes and language. You will be refreshing to others. People will like to be around you because you are “different.” You don’t gossip about others. You don’t lie, you don’t flirt with anyone other than your mate. Your work is honest and you honestly work. You care. You pray. You have a drive about you. Perfect? No, not close. But godly. Righteous. Holy. Different. You are a Christian. You walk with Jesus Christ. It will be noticed. There are times you walk away from conversations, because they are not healthy nor nice. There are times you turn the TV off, because there is nothing DECENT on and you mean decent! You are different. You simply try to walk with Jesus, that makes you different.

  This is hard when you are younger – because fitting in and blending is what you seek. You don’t want to stand out different. Maturity and especially, godliness, teaches us that I can’t be me, a Christian and fit in with some. Not going to happen.

  Often, it’s our very family that thinks we are different. They might use a different word—”weird.” They say, “You go to church all the time, you’re weird.” It hurts. They don’t understand. They are missing out. Caleb remained true. God noticed. That’s the most important thing—He’ll notice.

  As a Christian, you are swimming upstream in a downstream society. It’s hard. God is counting on you to do it. You are different—you love the Lord! Aren’t you glad! Noah was different. Lot was different. Paul was different. Daniel was different. Our Lord was different. It’s fine company to be in to be different spiritually. God notices!

Roger