In this world of “political correctness,” we can find it difficult and sometimes scary to speak what is on our minds. We speak out on social media, but rarely can we have discussions with differing opinions with live people in front of us.
Not speaking up comes with a high price. When we become unable to feel and express our thoughts, we shut down our hearts and feel nothing. We can begin to go through life without feelings and with just being numb.
What does the Bible have to say in regards to this?
A verse I see quite often on social media is 2 Timothy 1:7.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
We gloss over the word “timidity” in the verse, instead choosing to focus on the word “fear.” We can see how the news is making us fearful, but it is also making us timid. We should have neither fear nor timidity.
Let’s look at the situation where the Israelites were listening to the reports of the 12 spies who were sent into the Promised Land. The account begins in Number 13:26 through 14:38.
We know 12 spies where sent into the Promised Land by Moses to scope it out and to come back with a report. Only 2 came back with an encouraging report. Only 2 believed God would do what he said He would do. Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.
Yes, that is right. Only Joshua and Caleb, out of a million people, survived to go into the Promised Land.
Do you think any of the one million people who heard the reports agreed with Joshua or Caleb? How could it be that not one of these one million people who had seen all the miracles of God spoke up to agree with Joshua and Caleb? There must have been many who agreed, but no one voiced their thoughts.
We know how this situation ends. Everyone who did not voice their agreement with Joshua and Caleb perished in the desert and never entered the Promised Land. They were victims of both fear and timidity.
Today, we find ourselves in a situation where we, like the Israelites, must speak up for God and His promises without fear or timidity. Our Promised Land – America – is at stake. We must speak up for the Truth – not with malice, but with the love of this Promised Land that God has given to us.
