Why did God show favor to Caleb in the Old Testament?

There is a great reminder in the Old Testament on the benefit of living a life trusting in the power and promises of God. If you are unfamiliar with Caleb from the tribe of Judah, here is a little bit about him and then how he was looked upon by God.

1. Caleb is from the tribe of Judah. This is first mentioned in the book of Numbers, chapter 13.
2. Caleb was chosen as his tribe's representative to go and scout out the land possessed by the Canaanites. There are 12 total spies. (The A.I. image captures the spies mission)
3. 10 of the spies were worried that if they attempted to take over the land they would be defeated. That it was too difficult to accomplish. So they came back to the people of Israel and told lies and showed fear about the mission upon their return.
4. 2 men (Caleb and Joshua) were honest about what they saw. And they said as long as God is on their side, His power and providence will help them to succeed.
5. From that point forward, Caleb and Joshua were considered blessed by God. Here are some verses that capture how God viewed the heart and actions of Caleb:

Numbers 14:24 --- 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

Deuteronomy 1:36 --- 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!’

Joshua 14:8-14 --- 8 But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. 12 So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

13 Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.