On the backdrop of Abraham's pioneering response to the extravagant call of God in the twelth chapter of Genesis is this one verse at the end of chapter 11 that has haunted my heart for a number of years and that continues to shape my thinking and dreaming.
Genesis.11:31
"Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter in law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there."
What God starts and envisions us with can be short cut by whether we continually fight for a pioneering spirit or whether we allow a settler's mentality to pervade who we are. Terah was called to Canaan, but he got distracted and settled in Haran...we can not afford to have the same said about us when our proverbial 5 score and ten are up. Being linked to a pioneer is not enough! Lot travelled with one but a mere 2 chapters later we see how he settled for the comfortable and how that shortcut his and his family's future. Below are a few differences that mark Settlers and Pioneers.
Settlers:
1. Always want to RETURN to how things were
-We often refer to these people as the "when we" christians. Those who long after "the good old days". Often these thoughts and desires to hold onto the old way and patterns isn't loudly vocalised but is outworked in whispered conversations, unsaid decisions of heart and folded arms. The nation of Israel were also gripped by a Settler's mentality as they were lead out of slavery as everytime there was a problem or inconvenience, they grumbled and wanted to return to Egypt.
2.Always just REACT to a situation or problem
-Leaders that have embraced a settlers mentality can be found constantly "fixing" problems. "Maintenance" is the buzz word for a settler. We are not just administrators of what God is doing. We are called to be breaking opennew ground. Has faith become just a concept we bring up at the end of a sermon on salvation or is it an everyday reality that we live by and that we allow to be our compass on every decision and thought process?
3. Always RESIST change
"no critic or cynic ever went down in history"
Pioneering isn't always comfortable or convenient. It may even have many dangers and possible pitfalls. How will we react to them? Will we respond to the voice of "reason" and the crowd ("at least we had graves in Egypt") or will we respond to the upwards and onwards call of God and step out courageously onto the danger encircled path of obedience?
Genesis.12:4
"So Abram left, as the Lord had told him"
