By: Obed Pineda
There is no question that there are many challenges a champion must face if he desires to remain champion. A plethora of foes who vie to claim the title for themselves, necessary adjustments required due to sudden changes in the rules, and always being aware of the competitor’s preparation as a means of not being surprised during the tournament are few examples of the external threats to the victor’s crown. Yet, these outward adversities are not as formidable as the inward ones the champion must conquer first to remain triumphant. The grueling effects of the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion endured on the road toward victory, must be shaken off quickly, to be ready to encounter the next foe. The peril of being led astray by an arrogant overconfidence must be neutralized immediately in order to prevent the titleholder from foolishly underestimating the opponent. The winner must remained focused on improving his skills always and not be lulled into complacency, ignoring the need to update the strategy because the opponents are undeniably doing so. It is essential that the champ never let his guard down mentally, or else he will become prey to the self-destructive nature of indiscipline. Indeed, these inward demons that must be placed into submission first, validates that man can truly be his own worst enemy. Thus, it is evident that those who successfully defend their title repeatedly, have been victorious in remaining self-disciplined. However, becoming accustomed to winning also presents a unique challenge in of itself: What happens when the proverbial palate that has become familiarized with the sweet nectar of victory, comes to savor the bitter taste of defeat? It is not impossible for someone to prepare diligently, remain focused, and bring out his very best against his rival, and still lose the bout. This does not mean that the person no longer excels at what he does, rather that the opponent was better than him on that occasion. That defeat does not determine the pedigree of champion he was; the reaction after the defeat is the true testament of his caliber as a champion. There is no question that defeat always leaves a lingering, sour taste, but a loss can often be the most beneficial thing to happen for the dethroned titleholder. Of course, this is only true if the person humbly accepts the defeat and allows the bitter experience to teach him how to improve. The sobering shock of losing is instrumental in reminding everyone that no one is invincible; all kings eventually fall. For this reason, one must perceive their failures as stepping stones and not merely stumbling blocks. These humbling experiences were indeed vital for Joshua as he led Israel in conquering the land of Canaan. Remember that Joshua was hand selected by Jehovah God to succeed Moses to lead the house of Israel into the promised land (Numbers 27:12-23). Following the death of Moses, the Lord strengthened His chosen leader by exhorting him, “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, My servant, commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7, emphasis added). The loftiness of the task assigned to Joshua was irrefutably delicate and required great faith and wisdom for it to be achieved triumphantly. He would require much patience and tact to be able deal with a house that had previously been obstinate, impatient, and unjust with his predecessor. Additionally, he had also been commanded by the Lord God, “the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 20:16-18, emphasis added). Thus, as the people crossed the Jordan, they encountered the fortified city of Jericho and the Lord delivered it into their hands for they obeyed all that He had commanded them (Joshua 6:1-27). This victory, in the company of others that Joshua had accomplished, established that “the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country” (Joshua 6:27), striking fear into the hearts of Canaan’s inhabitants. In spite of how successful Joshua’s campaign had been thus far, there were two defeats at the hands of his enemies that produced invaluable lessons for Joshua. The first one came courtesy of the small town of Ai where the Israelite spies reported “Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few” (Joshua 7:3b, emphasis added). This tiny foe that had been underestimated, was able to defend their land against the three thousand men that Joshua had sent because Israel had been defiled by Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:4-26). With this first battle lost in an embarrassing fashion, Joshua and Israel learned the dire consequences of disobeying God’s commandments and how “one sinner destroys much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:18b, emphasis added). Joshua learned that it is imperative for a leader to be diligent in securing that the people he led were faithful in everything to Jehovah God. He learned the value of being thorough in their adherence to all the mandates of God, as He commands. Their second defeat was not through the sword on the battlefield, but by being caught in an intricate web of deceit (Joshua 9:1-16). The Gibeonites had heard of Ai’s and Jericho’s utter destruction and “worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors” (Joshua 9:4). Their strategy was to appear as travelers from a far country by using old and worn clothing, sacks, and carrying old, moldy food claiming that they “have become old because of the very long journey” (Joshua 9:11-13, emphasis added) so that Israel would enter into a covenant with them and thus avoid being destroyed like the others. Regrettably, the Gibeonites’ ruse worked because Joshua “did not ask counsel of the Lord” (Joshua 9:14, emphasis added). Remember that God had commanded that they had to destroy all the inhabitants of the promised land and not make a covenant with them (Exodus 34:11-16). Thus, Joshua soon learned from this cunning deception to “continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2, emphasis added). There is no question that much could have been avoided if Joshua would have inquired of God regarding the proclamations of the Gibeonites instead of taking their word at face value. Even though Joshua was conned into making this covenant, the value was that he learned from this horrible mistake not repeating it a second time. Verily, the bitter taste of defeat tends to linger, but for those who use this memory righteously, it serves as a constant reminder to “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15, emphasis added).