Joshua 14:8
Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
A man named Caleb in the Bible was strong and faithful. He and Joshua were two of the twelve spies that went into Canaan. They both saw things that God had promised the children of Israel. Their report of the land was true and with enthusiasm. I can see these two right now... Rejoicing and punching each other in the arm as they try to out do each others memory of what they saw. "Those clusters of grapes where huge... The soil of the land was so rich... Did you ever think we would see such beauty?"
In our scripture this morning, Caleb recalls his brethren and their response. He had just spoken about what God promised through the mouth of Moses. He said, "I was forty years old when I spied the land". He said, "I have wholly followed The Lord my God". Caleb knew that what God had promised, He would perform.
But notice what he said about his brethren that went up with him. He said their words, "made the peoples heart melt". The words of these negative friends made the people disbelieve and melt. The power of a negative influence is very strong.
Being negative requires no work, it can begin on its on through very little force or desire. Out of 12 spies, 2 were solid and believed, but the negative words spoken had spread and caused the encouragement from these two to fade out.
How are you influencing people today? Are you following God wholly? Or just being negative?
