What is the most dangerous thing you have done to save someone else’s life or further a worthy cause? Most of us have not experienced anything which would be likely to result in imprisonment or death. We are left to our imagination then when it comes to understanding the motivation, emotions, and purposeful decisions that must be a part of making it possible to put your own life in jeopardy for a cause or another person. Throughout history and even around our world today, however, people of God have been willing to do the right and important thing, the good and helpful thing, no matter what the personal cost may be.
It would be fascinating to know many more of the details in the saga of the 2 spies Joshua sent secretly to the city of Jericho, wouldn’t it? Why did he choose those 2 men? How did they find the house of Rahab? What made the king send his messengers to Rahab? What motivated Rahab to risk her life to save their lives? What was it like for the spies as they hid out in her attic, climbed down the rope outside the city walls and then waited in the hills for 3 days until their pursuers had gone home? Where did they get their courage? What was the source of their strength? Did they understand what Corrie ten Boom experienced as she willingly hid the Jews in her attic and paid the high price of imprisonment for doing so? “There are no places that are safer than other places. The center of God’s will is our only safety – let us pray that we may always know it!”
When Jesus asked the disciples to follow Him, they had no idea what that ultimately would mean for Him and for them, but they willingly went. Along the way, they learned that it would mean suffering and sacrifice. Eventually they discovered that it would cost Jesus His life, but that was far from the end of the story. Ultimately it meant that in following the Son of God, they would discover life and be given the gift of eternal life through Him. What more could they want? What more could you want?
