Keep Your Promise

 Rahab was a lady of "ill repute." She was a prostitute. However, she was the one person in Jericho who was willing to protect the spies sent into the city before Israel invaded. She had heard the reports of all God had done for the Israelites in Egypt, and she became a believer in the Lord. The spies promised her that they would spare her life and the lives of all her family members who were in her house at the time of the fall of Jericho. That was the least they could do for saving their lives.

Therefore, Joshua did not forget her. (Joshua 6:22) Joshua told the spies to keep their promise. They were told to go to Rahab, the prostitute's house and to bring her out with all her family. The spies did just that and Rahab and her family lived with Israel for many years. I believe there is a lesson for all of us in this.

The spies could have dismissed their promise because they could have looked down on this prostitute. They could have thought that she was unworthy of their protection because of her lifestyle. They didn't do that. They respected her as a person, and they saw her sincere belief in the Lord. We must never look down on anyone, no matter how they are living their lives. We must recognize all people are made in God's image and worthy of our love and respect.

Also, Joshua could have stopped Rahab and her family from living among them for similar reasons. He could have thought they were too different. He could have thought them to be unclean. He didn't. We should be ready to welcome anyone from any background into our church, so they can hear about the Lord. We should welcome them as members when they turn from their sins and put their trust in Jesus, no matter what their past has been.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 7-9.