I had this professor in college who read news archives on a regular basis. While his students were reading up on the latest Rob Bell books and discussing current events, he was perusing newspapers and journals from the 1700's. When I asked him why - because, you know me, I eventually had to - he said it reminded him that the stuff of today is nothing new. Not only that, but there is something to be said of perspective; when you read about a real family of eight traveling by wagon across unsettled territory in hopes of a better life, it's hard to care about presidential debates; and when you read about five of their real children dying of disease along the way, the latest hip theologian doesn't mean much to you. It gave my professor a more clear view of life and a more pure conviction of how to live that life.
Recently, I've been reading through the book of Joshua. And I find myself in the same experience of comparing present day to history. For example, we all deal with drama, right? Whether it's at church, school, work, home, or... on Facebook. I feel like, everywhere I turn, there's always some issue or division among people. But in Joshua 9, a whole city comes to deceive Israel, and just two chapters earlier, Joshua is having to deal with descent among the people of Israel themselves. I'm realizing that not only is this drama we face today nothing new, but it's pretty small-scale and petty compared to what Joshua and God's chosen nation had to go through back then.
Our issues are dumb, let's be honest, but our reasons for fighting tooth and nail are as old as time - we are fallen, which means we're broken, sensitive, and selfish. But it also impresses me that Joshua stays strong. When there's an issue, even when he's involved with the fault, he seeks The Lord, rights the wrong, and moves forward. This is key - that he seeks the Lord. Like David, Joshua was by no means perfect, but his heart had something right. I feel like, if we recalibrate ourselves to be more focused on Almighty God and the life of his Son, then as the old hymn goes - "The things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." Sure, things won't be perfect, just as things weren't perfect when Jesus walked the Earth, but things might be a little better; and "better" can hold us over till Kingdom come.
Books on Sale
