Did Joshua have any idea? I am confident he was not thinking, “My words will be inscribed on plaques in people’s homes and on coffee mugs around the world.” Instead, Joshua likely hoped that his words would inspire the Israelites to be faithful to the Lord. The people promised, but Joshua said, “Not so fast.”
Remember in Mark Twain’s book how Tom Sawyer convinces others to paint a fence for him by using reverse psychology? Once the others believed whitewashing the fence would be a privilege, they gave Tom gifts in exchange for the right to paint part of the fence. Tom received gifts and didn’t have to complete his punishment. He is a clever boy in a clever story.
Joshua is not trying to trick anyone, but he uses a similar strategy to confirm the Israelites’ commitment. The more the Israelites said, “Don’t worry about us. We will serve the Lord,” the more Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God.” As a good leader, he clarified expectations. By telling them the truth, Joshua reminded them that it would not be easy to serve the Lord. The more he taught, the more they confirmed their desire.
Joshua’s covenant still guides us today. God wants us to be faithful to him exclusively. We must put away all of our idols to please him. Every day we decide whether we will serve God, ourselves or other idols. Joshua’s commitment still inspires us: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Psalm 101 reminded me this week again that we must intentionally consecrate our homes and our hearts to God alone. This will require more than plaques and coffee cups. Will we serve the Lord today? It starts with an act of the will. It is a promise we keep.
