Discouraging or Stilling?

Numbers 32:7; Numbers 13:30  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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“Wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?” (Num. 32:77And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? (Numbers 32:7)).
“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” (Num. 13:3030And 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. (Numbers 13:30)).
There is a blessed contrast between these two verses, from which we learn vitally important lessons. I believe we underestimate the effect we have on our brethren. Moses charges the tribes who wanted to settle down without crossing Jordan with discouraging their brethren from going over and taking possession of the land of promise. Was this because of something they said? I believe it was their action which discouraged. We may not say discouraging things, but our actions speak loudly.
How nice, then, when the people were disheartened by the words of the other ten spies, to read that “Caleb stilled the people.” May the Lord grant us to be stillers, not discouragers, of His beloved people.
R. K. Gorgas