As Israel approached the Jordan, Moses sent out twelve spies to explore the promised land. One spy from each of the twelve tribes of Israel entered Canaan, explored the land, and returned with a report. All twelve had had the same experiences, but the conclusions of ten of the spies differed significantly from those of the other two. Joshua and Caleb were in the minority, but they were right. What could be the reason for these differing opinions?
Similarities
- All twelve spies were leaders in their tribes (13:2).
- All twelve spies received the same promise (13:2).
- All twelve spies received the same opportunities (13:2).
Differences - Majority report
- Ten said "no" to entering
- Ten misunderstood their assignment
- Ten saw God in light of their circumstances
After their return, ten of the twelve spies had developed a fearful attitude toward the whole undertaking. It is not hard to understand why. God is nowhere to be found in their report; they do not mention his name even once. Their grumbling spirit, their pessimistic outlook, and their negative report spread like a plague through the entire camp of Israel. "It was indeed a land flowing with milk and honey—but there are giants in that land!" they declared. "There is no way we can enter it and take possession of it."
Differences - Minority report
- Two said "yes" to entering
- Two understood their assignment
- Two saw the circumstances in light of their God
Although Joshua and Caleb made the same journey and saw the same things the other ten spies saw, they returned with an enthusiastic, positive report. They never doubted that the Israelites could take the land. They based their report on God's track record with the people in the wilderness. They freely acknowledged the obstacles, but knew that none of them was an obstacle for God. They came back and said, "Yes, there are giants in the land, but they are dwarfs compared to our God. We can defeat them and take the land! And by the way, milk and honey really do flow in Canaan."
The main difference between the spies: attitude!
The only difference between those who delivered the majority report and those who delivered the minority report was internal. Their differing reports reflected contrasting attitudes toward the land, the divine promises, the people in Canaan, the work involved, the Lord, and themselves.
The attitude of the majority:
- They were disobedient toward God
- They believed the land had no future
- They were cowardly and afraid
- They completely ignored God in their report
- They suffered from a grasshopper complex
The result?
These ten naysayers spread unrest throughout the entire camp of Israel. Their fearful attitude infected more and more of the people until the fear could no longer be contained. "Our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there." (Deuteronomy 1:28). Through the negative majority report, these ten spies robbed nearly two million people of their inheritance in Canaan. Through their fearful influence, the Israelites were driven back into the wilderness to die, and God delayed the fulfillment of his vision for his chosen people by forty frustrating years. If only they had listened to the minority! Let's look at their far better attitude.
The attitude of the minority:
- They were obedient toward God
- They insisted on entering the land and taking possession of it
- They found their courage in faith
- They had confidence in their report
- They saw themselves in relationship to God
The result?
Caleb and Joshua remained alive for a new era, while the other ten spies perished in the wilderness along with the rest of that unbelieving adult generation.
Principles of a positive attitude
Attitude makes the difference. Developing a positive attitude is the first step on the path to becoming an effective leader. Without this crucial building block, no successful leadership can be built. The following principles of a positive attitude can be drawn from the words and deeds of Joshua and Caleb:
- Our attitude determines our goal in life.
- Our attitude determines our relationships with people.
- Our attitude is often the only difference between success and failure.
- Our attitude at the start of a task influences its outcome more than anything else.
- Our attitude can turn problems into blessings.
- Our attitude can give us an unusual new and positive perspective.
- Our attitude is not automatically good just because we belong to God.