Be a Caleb

This year, my son Caleb is playing freshman football at his school, and as he’s discovered, being one of 70 players is tough. He loves the game and enjoys certain drills in practice, but lately his teammates have been the bigger challenge for him. Two of the guys he considered to be his best friends have been verbally mocking him and putting him down. As a teenager, he expects that from some of the guys on the team but not his closest friends. All he wants to do is be his best and help his team in any way he can.

While I was listening to the radio in my car the other day, I heard a talk show on Moody Radio discussing what it meant to be a Caleb based on the character from the Bible by that name. I instantly turned up the volume. I don’t know who the speaker was, but he was talking about Caleb’s faithfulness, his boldness and his courage to stand up for what he believed despite the doubting, questioning, and berating of others. Nothing stopped Caleb from following the commands he’d been given or believing in God. Even later in his life, well into his 80s, Caleb still had the resolve not to take the easy path, but to embrace the challenge of the hill country that the Lord had promised him (Joshua 14). Certainly, Caleb was an example of faithfulness and courage throughout his life.

In order to encourage my son, I started to research what his name meant. Over and over, in source after source, I found that the name Caleb meant “dog.” That’s my dawg, Caleb! Seriously, though, as I thought about it, the term became a fitting tribute to the name.

The biblical Caleb was faithful and bold, just like man’s best friend is today. I want my Caleb to be dog-like in many ways. I want him to have determination when it comes to standing for what he believes. I want him to embrace obedience—especially when it comes to following his coaches and the commands of his Heavenly Father. And, I hope he has grace—grace to be kind to those who talk against him or who don’t believe in his abilities. I want him to be a Caleb and a doggone good one at that!

Just as God and Moses were proud of the Caleb of old, I too am proud of my Caleb today. And I hope that you, too, embrace the faithful and bold Caleb-type spirit within you as you serve the the Father today.