The Other Side of Your Obedience

If you read the story, Achan saw these precious items and his heart was filled with covetousness. He probably thought it’s just a few items, no one will even notice that I took them. After all what’s the big deal? Well, the big deal was that he was being disobedient no matter how small it seemed. If you are not familiar with the story here is what happened. The Israelites next town to conquer was a small town called Ai. Since there were only a few people who lived there, this should have been an easy victory. After all they had just conquered the mighty city of Jericho. Here is what happened:

What just happened here? The answer is simple. Just like there is another side of your obedience, there is also another side of your disobedience. In this instance, Achan’s act of disobedience cost the Israelites not only a humiliating defeat, but people died because of Achan’s sin. Also if you notice, God didn’t say Achan was unfaithful, he said the Israelites were unfaithful. One man’s act of disobedience impacted the entire nation. Here was God’s response:

Achan committed an act of disobedience and he saw the result of it. Ultimately, this one act of disobedience cost the lives of men from the Israelite army. It cost Achan his own life and also the lives of his entire family. What a terrible price to pay, but it shows you what is on the other side of disobedience.

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I hope you can see that the decisions and choices you make don’t just affect your life. After all, we don’t live in a vacuum. It doesn’t matter what status you have in life; your decision to obey or not obey will come with consequences. If you obey it will bless you and bless others. If you disobey you not only hurt yourself, but you have the potential to bring others down with you. I think Achan is a good reminder of that.

The bottom line is simple, always choose to obey. Your choices matter, so choose wisely. This will not always be easy. In Achan’s story he saw the beauty of the treasure and his heart got covetous, leading to his act of disobedience. There will be things that will try to move you off your stance of obedience. It could be distraction. It could be delay and the thought of putting it off. It could be anything. Regardless of what it is, just remember there is another side to your obedience, and choosing not to obey may be hurting you and someone else.

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Photo credit: Unsplash/Jared Murray

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a dynamic speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club, dedicated to helping people live with purpose and clarity. In addition to his ministry work, Clarence has spent the last 13 years as a trusted financial educator, guiding thousands of people across the country—including employees at many Fortune 500 companies—toward lasting financial wellness. His unique ability to blend practical wisdom with spiritual insight equips people to thrive in every area of life.

He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.