When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will advance, each man straight ahead. - Joshua 6:5
"Have you lost your mind?!" Maybe, but have you ever had anyone ask you that question? I have, more than once!
The scriptures are silent on the subject, but I imagine a lot of the people (and even a few leaders) among the Israelites raised this question (or at least pondered it) when Joshua presented God's plan for victory over Jericho. Let's face it. It did sound a little, well, "crazy."
It really isn't that rare for a Christian leader to receive an idea or plan from God that, when shared with others, sounds a little "out there." And while there is certainly some wisdom to be found in a multitude of counselors, there are also defining moments when a leader must lead an organization or church in a direction that the "reasonable" world might deem unreasonable, sometimes against the assembled advice of the masses. When these times come, and they should be rare, it is very important that the leader possess the trust of the faithful and be certain that the direction indeed comes from God. It might even be wise to wait until God tells a few others before you publicly proclaim, "God told me."
Ultimately, we need to be sure that it really is God who is leading, because to head out without Him would indeed be "crazy."
Cynic, n: a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be. - Ambrose Bierce
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