I read a familiar story with Ashley and the kids last night out of the biblical book of Numbers. In chapter 13 we read that Yahweh had just led the children of Israel out of Egypt, they’d organized themselves into an army, and were planning to spy out the Promised Land.
They chose 12 men for the recon mission inside of Canaan. Among them was Kaleb, son of Jephunneh. Their job was to map out the terrain, evaluate the strength and population density of the native peoples and to survey their cities and strongholds for tactical advantages. Their other job was to determine if the land was truly the place of abundance that the children of Israel had dreamed about for so long – a land flowing with milk and honey.
What the spies found was amazing. In the south they found people of such stature they compared them to giants. They saw dense populations with well-built cities in the northern mountain area. As a matter of fact, most of the cities they observed were walled and well established.
Well-established, walled cities with large people living in them were going to make for a harder campaign than what the Israelites were expecting.
But just as their hearts sank, they found something that revived their spirits. At a town called Eschol, they found a field that had a stream running through it where massive grapes grew. The spies decided to cut down a single branch as a testimony of just how fertile the land was. The branch had only one cluster of grapes growing on it, but it was so big that it took two guys to carry it back to where the children of Israel were encamped. They also took back larger than normal figs and pomegranates.
When the spies returned from the 40 day mission with this fruit, the children of Israel couldn’t believe their eyes. The land they’d been promised was more fertile than they could’ve imagined. They knew their dreams were about to come true. But then something happened: naysayers began to speak up.
Most of the 12 spies said that even though it was a land flowing with milk and honey, the people there were giants and their walled cities were too big for a successful mission. But Kaleb silenced the naysayers declaring that the children of Israel were strong enough to overcome these obstacles and that they should start working towards obtaining their dreams immediately.
Isn’t this how life is? I find this especially pertinent when we’re trying to achieve financial freedom. We as investors see the potential in the wonderful land before us. Our great country is a land that does not stop flowing with milk and honey. Here we can start from nothing, build a fortune, lose it and build it again. Where else can you do that?
But in order to take advantage of the boundless blessings found here, you have to tune out the naysayers who say it can’t be done.
These people are so scared of the obstacles that they won’t even try to surmount them, and rather than applauded your efforts, they will get in your way and try to bring you down.
You must remove those people from your life. And if that naysayer lives within your own mind, you need to get rid of it and become your own Kaleb – someone that silences the naysayers, who knows you’re capable of greatness and is willing to motivate you to go to work on your dreams without delay.
You must affirm yourself every day that you were designed to slay giants and topple walls! If you don’t, you’re destined to wander in the wilderness of what could’ve been for the rest of your life. But if you do silence the naysayers, and go to work on your dreams immediately, you’ll be unstoppable.
Joe and Ashley English buy houses and mobile homes in Northwest Georgia. For more information or to ask a question, go to www.cashflowwithjoe.com or call Joe at 678-986-6813.