Humility Required

“Behold, [when] we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.” (Jos 2:18 AV)

I wonder how Rahab’s family felt about their immoral relative being the source of their salvation.  What was going through their minds?  Did they fear the activity that might occur if they spent a few nights in her house?  Did all the uncomfortable conversations or statements of disappointment come up while sitting around a dinner table?  I wonder if they felt insulted that God had chosen a converted prostitute to be their sanctuary instead of someone far more moral.  Rahab is a great example of how the LORD will and can use the worst of us to reach the best of them.  One thing is for certain: Rahab’s family had to eat some crow in order to live.  Humility was demanded, or they would not survive.  The same is true with salvation.  It cannot and will come to the proud of heart.

It is kind of funny how this works.  Many years ago, I worked as a glorified janitor for a real estate company.  They owned several office buildings.  It was my job to travel to these building and clean the restrooms, empty the trash, etc.  At the main office, the company had two lawyers on staff.  One was a seasoned Jewish man who knew a bit of the bible.  We had many discussions.  Yet, I was his janitor.  He had decades of education and experience.  Yet, he engaged me in biblical debates.  Then there was my wife’s employer.  He was a county judge.  Yet my wife, a lowly secretary, often witnessed to him as well.  There were many times that I worked as a caddy for some very wealthy people and every once in a while, was asked of my testimony.  These types of successful people could have sought out ministers in ivory towers.  They could have asked the deceivers of the faith because of the false appearance of success.  But they did not.  They asked the lowly janitor, caddy, and secretary of the good news of the gospel.

It is often the least among us who do the greatest work.  Those who have baggage and a background often are the ones God uses to win the most.  Rahab’s family had to lower their standards if they were to live through the destruction of their city.  They had to dwell in a house of ill repute in order to survive.  Rahab, no doubt, left her life of sin once she saw the power of Jehovah.  The bible tells us as much.  Once she stepped out on faith and protected the spies of Israel, she made her choice to leave her profession.  The den of sin became the domicile of salvation.  But in order to realize the same salvation as Rahab, her family had to humble themselves, see their need, and accept any means by which God provided their salvation.