Faith on the Edge: What Rahab Taught me about courage
Read Joshua 2:1-14
Have you ever felt like an outsider—someone who doesn’t quite belong? Maybe because of your past, your doubts, your background, or simply because life hasn’t turned out the way you expected. If so, Rahab’s story might just be the encouragement you didn’t know you needed.
Rahab lived on the margins—literally and figuratively. She ran a lodging house on the outer wall of Jericho, a position that made her visible, vulnerable, and easy to overlook. She had a reputation, a label, and little reason to believe she could be part of anything holy. And yet, when two Israelite spies showed up on her doorstep, she made a move that changed everything.
She chose faith.
Rahab hid the spies and risked her life by lying to the king’s soldiers. But her bravery wasn’t just about espionage—it was about belief. In one of the most powerful declarations in the Old Testament, she says: “The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below” (Joshua 2:11).
Think about that. A woman outside the covenant people, living in a city set for destruction, somehow recognizes God’s hand and responds in faith. While the Israelites were still struggling to trust God fully, Rahab—an outsider—believed.
What makes her story so moving is that it’s not polished. Rahab doesn’t have everything together. She’s not perfect. She’s not a prophet or a priest. She’s just a woman who heard what God had done and decided to trust Him.
And Scripture remembers her—not for her reputation, but for her faith.
She’s named in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1), honored in the roll call of faith in Hebrews 11, and praised by James as an example of active faith (James 2). She becomes part of the story of salvation—not in spite of her past, but somehow through it.
That’s the part that gets me every time.
So often, we disqualify ourselves from faith before we even begin. We assume we need to clean up, measure up, or prove ourselves. But Rahab’s story reminds us that faith isn’t about worthiness—it’s about willingness. It’s about recognizing who God is and responding with courage, however uncertain the outcome.
I don’t know what walls you might be standing on right now—walls of fear, doubt, regret, or isolation. But I do know this: faith often begins on the margins. It takes root in the lives of those who are willing to risk believing that God is still at work.
And sometimes, the scarlet cord that marks your faith—like Rahab’s—ends up tying you to a future far more hopeful than you imagined.
A Question for Reflection
Where in your life are you being invited to trust God—maybe even before you have all the answers?
You’re Invited
If you’re searching for a place to explore faith without pressure or pretense, we’d love to welcome you to worship with us. No perfect people required. Just bring your questions, your story, and yourself.
Because life—and faith—really is better together.