Joshua 22:26-34: a reflection

26“Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; 27but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the LORD.’ 28“Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of the LORD’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’ 29“Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away today from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the LORD our God’s altar that is before his tabernacle!” 30When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well. 31Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this trespass against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the LORD’s hand.” 32Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived. 34The children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar “A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God.”

When the eastern tribes build a large altar by the Jordan, the rest of Israel, fearing it a sign of rebellion against God, prepares for war. But before fighting, they send envoys to ask what the altar means; and the eastern tribes explain that it was not for sacrifice at all, but a witness, a memorial to affirm their shared worship and their portion in the LORD. The misunderstanding, which had nearly led to war, is resolved by communication: they asked, the others explained, and the matter was cleared up. What might have become a needless war was averted because they talked before they fought, seeking to understand rather than assuming the worst.

Notice how the conflict was averted: by communication rather than assumption. Israel could have simply assumed the worst of the eastern tribes and gone to war over the altar; the appearance was alarming, and war was prepared. But before fighting, they sent to ask what the altar meant, seeking to understand; and the eastern tribes explained their true intent, which was faithful, not rebellious. The misunderstanding was cleared up by honest communication, and the needless war was averted. Had they acted on their assumption without asking, they would have fought over a misunderstanding; but because they communicated, the truth came out and peace was kept. Asking before assuming saved them from a needless conflict.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can avert needless conflict by communicating and seeking to understand rather than assuming the worst. When something alarms us about another, an action that looks wrong, words that seem hostile, we can assume the worst and rush to conflict; but the tribes asked before they fought, and the misunderstanding was resolved. Honest communication, seeking to understand another's true intent, can avert conflicts that assumption would create. Do not assume the worst of others and rush to conflict; ask, communicate, seek to understand their true intent, as Israel sent envoys before going to war over the altar. Avert needless conflict by communicating and seeking to understand another's true intent rather than assuming the worst, as Israel asked the eastern tribes about the altar before fighting and the misunderstanding was cleared up; for much conflict arises from assumption rather than truth, and honest communication can resolve misunderstandings before they become needless quarrels.

Lord, when the eastern tribes build a large altar by the Jordan, the rest of Israel, fearing it a sign of rebellion against you, prepares for war. But before fighting, they send envoys to ask what the altar means; and the eastern tribes explain that it was not for sacrifice at all, but a witness, a memorial to affirm their shared worship and their portion in you. The misunderstanding, which had nearly led to war, is resolved by communication. What might have become a needless war was averted because they talked before they fought. Show me how the conflict was averted: by communication rather than assumption. Israel could have simply assumed the worst and gone to war over the altar; the appearance was alarming. But before fighting, they sent to ask what the altar meant, seeking to understand; and the eastern tribes explained their true intent, which was faithful. The misunderstanding was cleared up by honest communication. Had they acted on their assumption without asking, they would have fought over a misunderstanding. Asking before assuming saved them. Take that to my heart, for I too can avert needless conflict by communicating and seeking to understand rather than assuming the worst. When something alarms me about another, an action that looks wrong, words that seem hostile, I can assume the worst and rush to conflict; but the tribes asked before they fought. Keep me from assuming the worst of others and rushing to conflict; help me ask, communicate, and seek to understand their true intent, Lord, as Israel sent envoys before going to war over the altar, that misunderstandings might be resolved before they become needless quarrels.