“And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:30-31).
What a good work! To still the people, not stir them up, is what is needed more than ever in these difficult days, referred to in Scripture as “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1). Are we still-ers or stir-ers? There is so much to stir up, agitate, and discourage the Lord’s people today. Let’s be counted amongst those who seek to calm and encourage.
Notice that Caleb didn’t compromise. He was a man of integrity, and we never want to have love and peace at the expense of righteousness and truth. The order is, “follow righteousness, faith,” and then, “charity [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). Caleb was faithful, and didn’t waver from what he saw as the truth, but nevertheless he “stilled the people.” There is a way to be faithful without causing contention or strife. There is a way to admonish the saints without scolding them. There is a way to pour oil on things, and keep our brethren from grating and grinding on each other without compromise. If we carry our spiritual oil can filled with the gentle, loving, long-suffering, spirit of faithfulness, we are a modern-day Caleb. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
In sad contrast we read of the other ten spies, “Our brethren have discouraged our heart” (Deuteronomy 1:28). Little did they realize as they brought up their “evil report” and stirred up the congregation, that it would be put down in God’s eternal record, that they discouraged the hearts of their brethren. When situations arise amongst our brethren, what does the Lord write after our names? Can He jot in His Book of Remembrance that we “stilled the people?” Are we encouragers, or are we discouragers?
Later on we are reminded of this instance again, when Caleb says: “My brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt” (Joshua 14:8). We need a buildup amongst our brethren, not a meltdown.
Strengthen your brethren,
Strengthen your brethren each day;
Build up God’s people, encourage
Each weary one, in the way.
Satan is busy,
Satan is busy each day,
Trying to trip up your brethren,
Discouraging saints in the way.
Hold up the weary
Hands that have fallen today,
Strengthen the knees that are trembling,
Those feet turned out of the way.
Our God is able,
Our God is able, alway:
Able and willing to help us,
Encourage ourselves in the way.
As we have noted in the opening verse of this section, faith affirms, “We are well able.” Fear and unbelief counter, “We be not able.”