Joshua 15:55-63: a reflection

55Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jutah, 56Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages. 58Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages. 60Kiriath Baal (also called Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages. 61In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages. 63As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

This passage lists the cities of Judah's inheritance, and then closes with an honest admission of failure: As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn't drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. Scripture does not gloss over the failure; it records plainly that Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, and that they remained, to this day. The record honestly acknowledges the shortcoming, the task left incomplete, rather than airbrushing it away.

Notice the honesty of the record: it plainly acknowledges the failure. It would have been easy to record only the victories, the cities taken, and to pass over the failure to drive out the Jebusites. But Scripture records it honestly: they couldn't drive them out; the Jebusites remained to this day. The word of God does not airbrush the failures of God's people; it tells the truth about them, the shortcomings as well as the successes. This honesty is itself instructive: God's word does not pretend, but tells the truth, including the truth about failure.

That honesty is worth taking to heart, for we are prone to airbrush our own failures rather than honestly acknowledging them. We can record, in our own memory and to others, only our successes, passing over our failures, pretending they did not happen, unwilling to admit our shortcomings; but Scripture honestly acknowledged Judah's failure to drive out the Jebusites. There is a place for honesty about our failures, acknowledging them plainly rather than airbrushing them away. Do not airbrush your own failures, recording only your successes and pretending your shortcomings did not happen; be honest about your failures, as Scripture was honest about Judah's. Acknowledge your shortcomings plainly, as God's word plainly records the failure to drive out the Jebusites, rather than pretending or glossing over them; for honesty about our failures, rather than airbrushing them, is the way of truth, as Scripture honestly told the truth about Judah's incomplete conquest.

Lord, this passage lists the cities of Judah's inheritance, and then closes with an honest admission of failure: as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn't drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. Scripture does not gloss over the failure; it records plainly that Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, and that they remained. The record honestly acknowledges the shortcoming, rather than airbrushing it away. Show me the honesty of the record: it plainly acknowledges the failure. It would have been easy to record only the victories. But Scripture records it honestly: they couldn't drive them out. Your word does not airbrush the failures of your people; it tells the truth about them, the shortcomings as well as the successes. This honesty is itself instructive. Take that honesty to my heart, for I am prone to airbrush my own failures rather than honestly acknowledging them. I can record, in my own memory and to others, only my successes, passing over my failures, unwilling to admit my shortcomings; but Scripture honestly acknowledged Judah's failure. There is a place for honesty about my failures. Keep me from airbrushing my own failures, recording only my successes and pretending my shortcomings did not happen; help me be honest about my failures, Lord, as Scripture was honest about Judah's. Help me acknowledge my shortcomings plainly, rather than pretending or glossing over them.