God had brought His people out of slavery, cared for them forty years in the desert, and now was bringing them in to their inheritance – the land He had promised long ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He had given them victory over Jericho; Ai was next. Because there were few men in Ai, only two or three thousand …

Most of us don’t like to be criticized.  When someone finds fault with us, it wounds our egos and makes us feel uncomfortable. A good, experienced critic can make havoc of a perfectly enjoyable day. We can get away from most critics. We can choose a new job, live somewhere else, or find new friends. But there is another kind …