It Starts Small

To a woman with a shameful past, Rehab could have let that past stand in the way of her taking courageous action. Today’s scripture is going to challenge us to discover how you can choose a hopeful perspective to live a courageous life.

⁸ Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof ⁹ and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. ¹⁰ For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. ¹¹ When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.

Joshua 2:8-11

How often do you consciously consider your focus?

We are given the opportunity to choose a godly or worldly focus towards every circumstance and situation we encounter. We are all given a free will to pursue God’s will and ways or our own dreams and desires.

In the second chapter of the book of Joshua, we encounter a woman named Rehab. We learn that she is is a woman of great faith in the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 11:31). In Joshua, we learn that she is a woman with a shameful past (2:1). She could have hidden in fear and betrayed Joshua’s men. She instead chose to to believe in the Israelites God. She chose to be obedient to God and protect these men. She was not just chosen by God to protect the spies, she was chosen by God to protect the lineage of Christ. She later became the great-great-grandmother of King David (Matthew 1:5-6).

In learning to keep a hope filled focus, we must keep our eyes on Christ. Unless we trust God and pursue His will and ways faithfully, we will forever be vulnerable to our inner accuser who anxiously waits to bury and drown us in fear. When we direct our attention toward God, He gives us courage and confidence for the journey ahead.

Keeping a Hope filled Focus by adopting these practices to our daily lives:

• Be faithful in your prayer life.

• Each day think of ten things you are thankful for and make them your focus. Thank the Lord for His faithful blessings in your life.

• Memorize verses of scripture that encourage you.

• Seek godly counsel for inspiration, wisdom, and guidance.

Rehab fixed her loyalty to the one true God. We are strong and courageous when we fix our eyes on Christ. When he is the focus of our decisions and directions we can boldly take courageous steps forward.

² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2

Setting your mind on the things above, and not of this world by memorizing scripture and studying God’s Word. Take a significant step today by asking God to reveal His will for your life and take that courageous step towards obeying God’s calling.

© Kimberlee Smith 2025 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.