Word Gets Around

I’ve heard it said that “word gets around in a small town”. I think it’s bigger than that – word gets around in any town. There are times when a person’s reputation (or lack thereof) precedes them. What they’ve done before is known and therefore people form their opinion based on the word that got around. Sometimes this can be a good thing and at other times it can be bad. For example, if word gets around that a pretty famous person is living in my neighborhood, then, word would certainly get around. If the person wanted privacy and seclusion, then the word getting around would not be good for him.

So Joshua sends two spies into the city of Jericho to scope it out. They went to the house of a prostitute named Rahab. (Word gets around.) Rahab had heard about the Israelites. Their reputation preceded them. She hid them from the authorities and even conspired to protect them. Check this out…

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, ‘I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts sank and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

12 ‘Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them – and that you will save us from death.’ (Joshua 2:8-13 NIV)

I love this story because it’s a story of the faith of an “outcast from society”. Rahab was categorized as someone who had thrown her life away. She ends up being used by God for His people and she ends of saving her entire family. I’m sure that is quite a twist in the story of her family heritage.

Rahab is also mentioned in the hall of fame of faith in Hebrews. Check this out…

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (Hebrews 11:31 NIV)

God uses ordinary people who have faith to do great work in His kingdom. He doesn’t always use the wealthy or the famous. He often uses ordinary, humble people to do big things for Him. As I live and walk out my faith where I’m at – the Lord can use anything or everything I have for His glory and His fame. I want word to get around about just how incredible and amazing the Lord is. I want others to know that you can count on Him to “never leave you or forsake you”. I want word to get around about Who God is and what He’s capable of doing.

I want word to get around that I’m a man who follows the Lord.

I want word to get around that I’m a man who does what is right.

I want word to get around that I’m a REALTOR you can trust.

I want word to get around that my company; Metro West Realty serves with excellence – always!

The word always gets around – I can’t always control what that “word” is – but I can control my response to each situation that I face and seek to honor God with how I handle myself.

Pressing On!

Dwayne