A Most Beautiful Way to Live
He didn’t think it would matter. He saw no problem in his decision. He agreed with himself….even though he somehow knew he should keep his decision secreted away. He told no one. For him, to him, it made sense.
But, in the end, his decision would effect many. His decision would change the course of not only his life, but the lives of others. He didn’t think about others as he weighed his options ——he didn’t pause long enough to realize —— he should.
Do these lines bring anyone to mind for you? Do you know someone who has made decisions in their life that has impacted you or those you love?
We all can think of people that are reflected in these lines. But what about us? It is a strange thing how we ourselves can do something, or think in a way, that if another were doing it we would know…. “That isn’t going to end well”. But when it is us, we lose that healthy perspective and we carelessly come up with a world of reasons or excuses that somehow compel us to justify the careless decision. We can’t quite grasp the wrongness of it because we’ve convinced ourselves that “we’ve earned it” or “we deserve it” or “I’m not going to let anyone tell me what to do…” or even “it won’t hurt anyone, they’ll never know…”
Oh God...how we need You.
Achan was a man who lived thousands of years ago.
His story is found in Joshua 6 and 7. He’s the guy that didn’t listen to Joshua’s orders, which had been given by God as the army prepared to go into battle and take the city of Jericho. The seven days of marching around the city had taken place. The trumpets had blown and the walls had fallen. Jericho was in turmoil and their primary defense, the walls —— destroyed. But the city was still intact, so a battle to conquer it was required. Joshua gave the orders to not keep any plunder. Defeat the enemy, but bring nothing back in your pockets. It was very clear and very serious.
But for Achan, the order did not supersede his own way of thinking. Achan chose his own logic and came to his own conclusions. He did everything else he had been ordered to do….he marched around the city, he camped where he was told to camp, he ate and drank what he was told to, and he marched into the city when the command came. He did all the things he should have done, until…..until in the midst of battle his eyes landed on a beautiful Babylonian robe, some pieces of silver, and a gold bar….. And Achan somehow, in the middle of violent battle was able to think “outside” his orders and determine:
No one will know…..
It’s just a small plunder…..
How could it matter…..
I can hide it……
It could help my family…..
Don’t I deserve this? Haven’t I obeyed in all other ways…..
I should be able to reward myself…..
What other thoughts would you imagine Achan might have had in the few split seconds when he chose to “go his own way” and ignore the orders of his authority?
Achan’s human logic, his own way of thinking, compelled him to justify and do the opposite of what was right and best. But his thoughts dragged him away from the narrow way of excellence and it cost him e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
Joshua’s commanding orders had been clear. Joshua 6: 18-19 say,
“But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
*Underlines added by me
We don’t know the exact details of the minutes when Achan returned to his tent after the battle. But we know that he hid the robe, gold, and silver under the floor of his family’s tent. Achan’s family likely did not know he had hidden battle plunder under them. Only Achan knew….and to Achan it seemed an “ok” thing to have done. He remained silent about it. He had a secret. He had convinced himself it didn’t matter; his logic told him it was not wrong.
Joshua chapter 7 begins in an ominous way. It reads - “But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.”
This absolutely stuns me in an ominously healthy way! The fact that no matter how much Achan convinced himself his decision to disobey was allowable ——— his logical conclusions in no way altered what was right, honorable, excellent, and acceptable.
Achan’s logic did not, would not, could not alter God’s guidance and command.
Achan’s choice could not stay hidden.
Achan’s decision would not be overlooked.
It’s awe-inspiring to see the sovereignty of our Holy God. He will not be mocked. It’s scary if we’re hiding something. But it’s freeing when we choose HIS WAY.
No lie or disobedience can hide from God. HE IS GOD.
Achan’s choice was about to cost the entire army. One “small” wrong was about to effect all who surrounded it (not just the one who did it).
Joshua 7 shares the details of what happened next. Joshua knew the next conquest would be the small town of Ai. He sent spies who scouted the situation and returned with good news. They suggested only 2 or 3 thousand soldiers were needed to overtake the small area of Ai. Three thousand soldiers were sent. It should have been a quick battle —— home by dark. However, the favor of the Lord was not on Israel, because of the sin of Achan.
Verses 4,5 tell the outcome, “So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.”
Thirty six men died. Thirty six men who had been obedient in the battle of Jericho still lost their lives in what should have been a small scrimmage by comparison.
No, dear ones, life is not fair. Again and again we see that fairness can not be obtained in a broken world of sin. But God —— God is ever found reaching for what is right and honorable.
The rest of Joshua 7 tells the sad story of Achan’s end. When the battle at Ai was lost, the Lord revealed that sin was in the camp. After much grief and sorrow, Joshua followed God’s guidance to expose that Achan had taken gold and silver for himself. It’s a sad exposure of how one man’s logical conclusions brought him to a place of disobeying God and losing everything. Achan and all he owned and loved was destroyed. No one was pleased with the deaths of 36 soldiers, Achan, and his children. It was a time of hardship and grief. But Achan is the one who put all this in motion. He CHOSE to disobey God…….it was not God who chose the story of Achan……it was Achan who chose this conclusion.
This Biblical story seems harsh to me. I cringe at the devastation that came after one man’s sin. But I’ve pondered it and meditated on it deeply until I’ve finally been able to glean and learn from it.
And I see many Achan’s living today. I have been an Achan…..to an extent. I have chosen to think my own thoughts and go my own way too many times; and I’ve lived with the results of it too. God did not end my life, oh, but He did soundly discipline me. “God disciplines those He loves.”(Hebrews 12:6a) And I’ve learned this powerful, simple, life-giving lesson. My logic WILL NOT guide me well. My own way of thinking might seem right, but it is not reliable. To take my thoughts (logic) and carry them to God —— to pause and ask Him ——“what is the best way Lord, what is the right way?” —— and give time for Him to show me ——— this is a most beautiful way to live.
I don’t have a Joshua giving me orders. But I have a Father who will guide me —— and He knows the way. The best way.
“…lean not on you own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5,6
What of you friend? Will you allow yourself the gift to pause now and ask God to show you if you’ve “buried something under your tent”? Ask Him to show you if there’s anything in your life that is the way of your logic but not the way of His guidance. Don’t forget — He loves you so very much. Whatever He shows you —— dig it up and toss it out —— as quickly as you can. To turn from our own way of thinking and run to the Father —— it’s our best shot at “on earth as it is in Heaven”.
It’s a most beautiful way to live.
