Day 77-Feeling Foolish while obeying God

The plan to conquer Jericho was very unusual. God's ways are often quite different from what we come up with. This is a common theme in the Bible: Noah building a boat very far from water, David challenging Goliath, the things God asked the prophets to do. The point seems to be that if we do it our way we will have the tendency to claim credit for it. Youth in general, Asian youth in particular I noticed do not want to draw bad attention to themselves. That's why when I ask questions during my talks I rarely get answers. But the walk of faith means following God, especially when it doesn't make sense. God was very gracious to Joshua et. al. . God told them in verse 2 that God had already defeated jericho and gave Joshua precise plans. That's the best way to succeed: Ask God first what to do, and how to do it, and wait until clarity arrives then do it. usually we come up with our own plans and then ask God to bless it. That's why our victories are not big like Jericho.

I used to teach a class of mentally challenged s. I was ok working with them at church, but I was uncomfortable taking them out in public, because they looked and acted very differently. I wondered what passerbyes would be thinking. It was a long struggle to overcome this. But I realized they loved me unconditionally and put up with my weirdness, so I asked God to change me. I heard a minister talk about the humiliations of Jesus. Jesus was God but was willing to become human: what a let down. Jesus was eternal but was willing to suffer , Jesus was morally perfect but was willing to beome sin, Jesus was willing for the believers to carry His name: "Christian" despite how often we do things so contrary to how He did things. God loves me unconditionally, is proud of me despite my failings. when I realized this eventually I was able to go out with them and forget what other people thought.