Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh and told them, “You have done everything Moses the Lord's servant commanded you and have obeyed me in everything I commanded you. Joshua 22:1-2 HCSB
I took a class in college in which the professor allowed his students to contract for a grade. He laid out the requirements for each grade. Of course the requirements for earning an “A” in the class were a lot greater than those required for earning a “C”. Why would some people settle for just making a “C” when they knew what they needed to do to earn an “A”? It is just like people who do the bare minimum to get by in a job versus those who go above and beyond what is expected. I am sure that those who contracted for a “C” in the class were also the type of people who did the bare minimum at their jobs while those who contracted for an “A” were constantly looking for ways they could improve and do a better job.
These tribes had done “everything” that was required of them. They were like those who worked to make an “A” instead of a “C” in the class. They had not done the bare minimum; rather they had done “everything” and obeyed in “everything” that had been commanded. These were the tribes that Moses had promised land on the East side of the Jordan River, but they were required to cross over the Jordan River and fight with the other tribes to settle the land. They had sent their fighting men to fight with the other tribes (see Joshua 1:12-18).
Challenge: Have you done everything that God has commanded? Jesus commanded us to “Go and make disciples . . . teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (see Matthew 28:19-20). Are you spending time getting to know exactly what Jesus Christ commanded? Have you committed “everything” to God or are you holding back something? God desires for us to obey Him in “everything”.