In Numbers 13, God instructs Moses to send a man from each of the 12 tribes into the Promised Land to report back to Israel what they find. These men spent 40 days walking the land, and they brought back some of the fruit they found there.
The intelligence report was unanimous — the land was bountiful. This was evident in the pomegranates and a cluster of grapes so large that it took two men to carry it on a pole. As for the people’s ability to go in and take possession of the land, the real estate committee was divided, voting 10-2. Two of these men, Caleb and Joshua, advocated going at once and taking the land. They assured the congregation that God would fight for them and that they were well able to win the conflict.
The other 10 men said the cities were walled, the people were mighty, and giants dwelt in the land. Verse 33 reads, “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (Num. 13:33). This report left the whole congregation feeling like grasshoppers. As Caleb and Joshua tried to encourage the people, many in the crowd took up stones to stone them. Things grew so dire that God had to come down to the tabernacle to meet with Moses.
I find it interesting that these “grasshoppers” wouldn’t fight the pagans God had pronounced judgment upon and had promised them victory over. But they would readily grab stones to kill the men God sent to lead them to victory. This is what I call the “grasshopper complex.”
Obviously, the grasshopper complex has existed since the days of Moses. It hasn’t gone away. In fact, it has crept into more Baptist churches than any of us wants to admit. This attitude is rooted in doubting God. Simply put, it is a refusal to believe God is able to do what He has promised. It stems from a confession that our enemies cannot be stopped and that we are helpless to engage them in battle. The best thing for a grasshopper to do is flee to another blade of grass or be still and try to blend in. This flee-or-hide tactic plagues many of our churches today.
I will not deny that we have giants in our land today. I’m thinking of the giant of immorality. What was once a shame is now part of our evening entertainment on television. Things once done in secret are now paraded in our streets. The giant of false doctrine seems to grow larger every day. How many cults have taken root in our towns, masquerading as churches? Throw in the giants of evolutionary science, atheism, and higher criticism that haunt our public educational institutions. All of these seek to capture the minds of our youth. Now consider the giants who want to weaponize our courts and use politicians to force us to embrace their worldviews. Their power, financing, and influence could bankrupt any church and imprison any pastor.
Yes, all these giants dwell in our land. They are truly giants, and their ability to harm us should not be dismissed. At this critical point, the grasshopper complex can cripple a Christian or even an entire church. How do we view ourselves? How do we view our church? Do we see ourselves as grasshoppers? Are we helpless bugs whose only hope is to blend in or hop away? Did our God put us in this land to run and hide?
The key to understanding why God’s people develop a grasshopper complex lies in how they view themselves. That line, “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight,” in verse 33 tells it all. They saw themselves as grasshoppers; therefore, they were seen that way. When a church says it cannot, the world agrees. When a Christian chooses to hop away or blend in, the world lets him. This is exactly why many of the giants I mentioned above are trying to squish the church — we acted like bugs for so long that we are now being stepped on.
At the risk of stoning, let me share the solution to the grasshopper complex. The Christian must remember that we are not to compare our physical stature with that of the giants. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We don’t gain our victories through finances, influence, public opinion, or majority votes. Is there not a famous story of a boy wearing shepherd’s gear who defeated a giant? Yes, young David measured Goliath against the God of Israel, not against himself.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not advocating that we jump on the biggest giant we can find. This is not a call to march on the Capitol, reform a university, burn your television, or even argue with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Nor is it a lesson in positive thinking or self-encouragement. Unlike Israel, we are not conquering a land to dwell in. We are pilgrims seeking a coming kingdom. We are called to dwell among giants and even to seek their conversion.
Here’s a short list of promises we can stand on in this world: Jesus Christ still saves sinners. We need to proclaim Him. The Church is still the Lord’s bride. We need to take her seriously. The Bible is still true. We need to rely on its inerrancy and rest in its sufficiency. The Holy Spirit still convicts of sin. We need to trust His ability, not ours. Until Christ returns or calls us home, we have a worldwide commission to carry out.
Don’t dwell on the size of your adversaries. Dwell on the promises of the Almighty. You’re not a grasshopper. You’re God’s child.
