Joshua 7
How much is your sin going to cost me?
Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel.
Wait a minute. It says here the Israelites acted unfaithfully. I thought it was Achan who sinned? We gain an insight into the cost of sin in this story. What Achan did ended up both infecting and affecting the entire group. In the end, 36 families had to have funeral services; 36 families lost a beloved father and would have to live their entire lives with a huge hole in their hearts. That is a tremendous cost for a single sin. It also says that the Lord's anger burned against Israel. So in addition, there was a vertical disconnection with God because of this sin.
Now,if you are saying this is unfair, this just isn't right, you are looking at it from a western point of view. We live in a radically individualistic culture where the individual reigns supreme. We even advertise it with slogans like "Have it your way" or we sing "I did it my way."
But in eastern cultures, the family and community are tightly bound together. You don't live individually; you live as a community. For one person to bring shame upon themselves, is to bring shame upon the family name or the entire group.
What we need to learn from this story is that we are all tied together. No one sins in isolation. The eastern culture is a clearer picture of the true cost of sin.
When I sin, I hurt Kathie, my children, my friends, my church and my community. They might not even know what is going on, but my sin will impact them because it impacts me. We are not just individuals; we are also a community. This should help us in our fight against sin and temptation.
The opposite is just as equally true. We need to make good decisions so that we become pillars of strength to those around us. Today, make good, godly choices and then become that pillar of strength for your family, church and community.
With God's help I will live a victorious life today and I pray that God will cause it to bless you!
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