“’Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.’”  Josh. 14:12

A guy named Caleb declared this to his commanding officer, Joshua, more than 3000 years ago, but his story carries relevance for us today.

Here’s the background story:  45 years earlier, the Israelites had reached the border of their Promised Land, and had the opportunity to enter.  Just one thing stood between them and living in that promise—some “giants” ready to do battle with them if they dared cross the line.

As you can imagine, the majority voted it down, deciding to settle for safety over fulfillment.  So they bailed.  As a result, the Lord let that entire generation languish and keep wandering in the desert until all but two brave men, Joshua and Caleb, died off.

Now both of them were old.  Now they had another chance to do things right, with the right kind of people who had more of a growth mindset.  Never mind that it wasn’t Joshua and Caleb’s fault their community never entered their Promised Land before.  Living in community means reaping what the community reaps.

Sound familiar?  How many times have you faced at least one “giant” obstacle—human, circumstance, or limitation— standing in opposition between you and fulfilling a dream? 

How many times has someone else’s decision mess things up for you and the rest of the group?  Or how many times have you suffered the consequences of what the majority did even when you tried to convince them otherwise?

Or how many times did you bail and back out, choosing “satisfactory” safety over “what might have been”, due to the “giant(s)”?

In this case, Joshua, Caleb, and the whole nation didn’t let anything or anyone stop them once they got their second chance.  For one thing, Joshua and Caleb already knew better and had dreamt of this opportunity for over 40 years.  For another, the rest of the nation was ready to listen and follow them. 

I’m sure they’d all heard the story or were around when their parents and grandparents blew it and weren’t going to let that happen again! 

So they all crossed over into the Promised Land.  Just one problem— none of those “giants” or opposition had gone away—they were still there—just as threatening as before.  Only this time, the people stood willing to do whatever it took to overcome them so they could actually live their dream.

Back to Caleb and his story, and the relevance for any of us, especially those in leadership (see Josh. 14:6-15)

1. While we have breath, we’re never too old to start doing what’s right—both the capacity and the benefits remain the same.  Caleb could have given up, gotten bitter, and/or complained about 45 wasted years in the desert, as a “victim” of others’ bad choices.  But instead, he chose to focus on what he could do now.

2. Good leaders know when it’s time to act. Caleb had waited 45 years for the right timing to claim the Lord’s promise, and he recognized when that time came.

3. The Lord’s promises never expire—unlike coupons where if “you snooze you lose”, the Lord’s promises to us are ready to “redeem” whenever we’re ready to claim them.  Sometimes conditions apply, such as right choices, but the promise remains.  Caleb based his assurance on the Lord’s unchanging Word in His promise made publicly to Moses 45 years earlier (v.9).

4. When we count on the Lord, He makes us ready and able to do whatever it takes to fulfill His purpose in and for us. “So here I am today, eighty-five years old!  I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” (v.10-11).

5. When we know exactly what the Lord has promised, we can ask boldly, not willing to settle for anything less. That’s why Caleb asked boldly for the hill country (v.12).

6. Good leaders know they can’t do it on their own.  Caleb got his courage and confidence from counting on the Lord’s presence and help (v.12).  We need the same for whatever dream we endeavor to fulfill.

7. Right attitude, approach, and asking for help leads to us receiving what the Lord has promised and the blessings therein (v.13-14).  This happened in Caleb’s case, and the same applies to us.

8. Don’t be afraid of the hard stuff and obstacles involved in attaining the fulfillment of a dream.  Caleb knew he was going to face the same kind of giants that had scared off his countrymen 45 years earlier, but he didn’t flinch.  Instead, he faithfully, in faith, ran toward those challenges instead of away from them (v.12, 15).

9. Keep our end of the bargain.  When the Lord and others make agreements with us, we have to do our part to make them work right.  Recognizing our responsibility and carrying it out is part of the deal.  In this case, Caleb “wholly followed the Lord my God/the God of Israel.” (v. 8, 14)

10. Living into the Lord’s promises brings peace, not only to ourselves but to our community and those we lead.  When Caleb did this, “…the land had rest from war.” (v. 15b).  Caleb’s taking of Hebron was the last thing Israel as community needed to do to bring peace to all of them.  Are we willing to do what it takes to bring peace and the best to our community, our family, our team?

What giants might you have to face to gain fulfillment of a promise—for yourself, your community, and those you lead?  Courageous leadership doesn’t flinch.  Courageous leadership follows wherever the Lord leads.