A Devotional for Men

Then Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you." And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.

Joshua 7:25, NLT

Achan stood open-mouthed with the other Israelites and watched God crush the fortified city of Jericho. He heard God say, "Don't take anything for yourselves or the entire nation will suffer." But he chose to act on his desires rather than God's directions. He thought the robe he took was too beautiful to burn. And the gold and silver he hid? Surely God wouldn't miss a few bars. Wrong! Achan did the missing. Achan missed the significance of God's command. God did not issue a list of invasion suggestions and directions. The orders were to be carried out without hesitation or alteration. God was shaping a people who would obey his Word. Achan also missed the reason for God's command. Because his perspective was self-centered, he couldn't see what was at stake. God was building a nation of people who understood that private actions lead to public consequences. Achan believed in the modern saying, "As long as no one else is hurt or sees what I'm doing, I can do it." But his actions led to suffering and humiliation for the nation and death for his own family. We don't always know how our actions will affect other people. But if we assume that our actions won't affect others at all, we will be making a terrible mistake. We have taken the idea of personal decisions and privacy to the place where we idolize these perceived rights. But is anything "just our business"? How many of your plans and actions today would be changed if someone was right beside you every moment? Remember, others are always involved! God doesn't miss anything. Our desires do not override God’s directions. Adapted from 365 Life Lessons from Bible People (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1996).