Maintain Your Optimism In The Face Of Unexpected Challenges

Numbers 13 records the commission of twelve Israelite leaders to secretly go into and spy out the Promised Land.  On their return, they reported their assessment of the possibilities of them (the whole nation of Israel) entering into and taking possession of the land.  Ten of them discouraged the people.  They told the people that entering into and taking possession of the land was impossible: they said that the land was inhabited by giants, who were more powerful than them, and the land was protected by tall walls.  The other two, however, told the people that entering into and taking possession of the land was possible.  "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it," one of them said.

The twelve leaders' reports reveal to us how leaders act when they come across unexpected challenges.  Some leaders loose their optimism and become pessimistic.  Others maintain their optimism.  

Pessimism In The Face Of Unexpected Challenges

Leaders that become pessimistic discourage followers from pressing forward towards the goals that they had initially set out to achieve.  They see unexpected challenges as ultimate blockades to their goals and want their followers to believe the same.  They magnify unexpected challenges and belittle their potential.  Consequently, such leaders and their followers are unmotivated and stalled by unexpected challenges. Such were the type of leaders were ten of the leaders that went in to spy out the Promised Land.

The ten leaders that resemble leaders that loose their optimism and become pessimistic in the face of unexpected challenges discouraged the people from trying to enter into and take possession of the Promised Land.  They saw the inhabitants of the land – giants – and the high walls that surrounded their cities as ultimate barricades to the land and wanted the people to believe the same.  They magnified the giants and the walls and belittled their potential to go in and drive out the giants from the land.  Consequently, these leaders made the people unmotivated to enter into and take possession of the Promised Land.

Optimism In The Face Of Unexpected Challenges

Leaders that maintain their optimism always encourage followers to press forward towards the achievement of goals.  They see challenges as opportunities for extraordinary advancement and want their followers to believe the same.  They acknowledge the existence of the challenge as well as the existence of potential within themselves and their followers.  Consequently, such leaders and their followers are motivated and unstopped by unexpected challenges. Such was the type of leaders were ten of the leaders that went in to spy out the Promised Land.

The two leaders that resemble leaders that maintain their optimism in the face of unexpected challenges encouraged the people to enter into and take possession of the Promised Land.  They saw the inhabitants of the land – giants – and the high walls that surrounded their cities as opportunities for conquest and wanted the people to believe the same. They had a clear perception of the giants and the walls, however, did not undermine their potential to go in and drive out the giants from the land. Consequently, these leaders made the people unmotivated to enter into and take possession of the Promised Land.

Great leaders maintain their optimism in the face of unexpected challenges.  The two leaders that tried to encourage the Israelites to enter and take possession of the Promised Land are perfect examples of such leaders.  What is your response to unexpected challenges?  Do you maintain your optimism in the face of unexpected challenges? Or, like the other ten, you become pessimistic in the face of unexpected challenges? Make a decision to try and maintain your optimism.