Ever done something foolish, wittingly or unwittingly and paid for years to come? In Genesis chapter 25, Esau did. For a bowl of stew, he made the impulsive, life altering choice to sell his birthright! Birthright, in those days, involved his status as the firstborn son and included a special inheritance of land.
The fallout from Esau’s foolish choice was life shattering. Scripture says, later, he sought desperately to get back that birthright with tears! It’s a bitter pill to swallow when you realize you are flawed, that you have flubbed up and that it’s going to cost you. You come face to face with your humanity, your “fail ability,” AKA fallibility, and it is ugly. You learn early on that you can make grave errors, exercise awful judgement and that it can negatively impact you forever. Sometimes it’s ignorance, sometimes it’s accident, and other times it’s sin. Self inflicted pain: it’s got to be the worst, I’m convinced every time I “fail” myself. Negative self talk, hatred and doubt compounded. Intelligence and judgement questioned.
Sometimes, though, it’s not by reason of OUR sins and shortcomings that we crash. The sins and shortcomings of a relative, friend, or even a stranger can cause us real pain and suffering. Over time, this can be even harder medicine to swallow and to stomach. Such was the case for the Israelites in the book of Joshua beginning in chapter 7.
The walls of Jericho have just come tumbling down. Their first victory with Joshua at the helm.. It must be a sweet time for the Israelites! Victory is their’s, but with one stipulation. They have been specifically commanded, not to take of the the “acursed thing” and to bring all gold and silver into the house of the Lord.
Achan, however, decides to disobey the Lord’s command and take from the spoils and hide them under his tent. Silver, gold, a special Babylonian robe. He’s, literally, made out like a bandit! Soon, the next battle is upon them, but this time they are sorely defeated, losing 36 men! Thirty six lives are lost because of the disobedience of one man. Achan, and those left behind are about to get an unexpected visit to the Valley of Achor.
The valley of Achor is translated as the valley of trouble. Sons, husbands, fathers have been killed and Achan’s entire family is now to be stoned to death as a result. There is despair and likely great suffering due, largely, to the sin of one man. We’ve been there before.. physically injured because someone ran the stop sign. Financially devastated by a thief who scammed us. Disfigured by a doctor’s error or misdiagnosis.
I have found that everyday life is always living in the balance of our own humanity and the humanity of others. In some small or large way, we’ll be either victim or victimizer every day. We have to give grace to ourselves and to others knowing that at times we’ve been the Achan. We have fallen short and caused distress to others.
Meanwhile, the Valley of Achor, trouble caused by another, for our intents and purposes, is no joke. Often, it’s more than a visit to the “valley of trouble.” It can equate to years of aftermath; unbearable grief and painful recovery. You can recover, though because with God all things are possible. At a point in time, The Valley of Achor is transformed into a door of hope, as referenced in Hosea 2:15. Even in the lowest valley God is there; ready to give us hope, get us back on track, to help us win once again.
Stay tuned for my personal journey through the Valley of Achor.
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