Judges 6:14–15 (HCSB) —“The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you?” He said to Him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”
Everybody loves a hero. It is evident in literature and film, regardless of culture. Heroes are appealing because they are often ordinary people empowered to become extraordinary. Gideon was such a man. When the Angel of the Lord tasked Gideon to deliver the Israelites, his reaction was essentially, “Who, me?” In his own strength he felt woefully inadequate for the job. Even the appearance of God did not quell his insecurities. But as the story unfolds, through the power of God he becomes the mighty warrior the Lord calls him in Judges 6:12.
When you feel inadequate in the face of an insurmountable task, remember the Lord’s faithfulness to Gideon. His presence and power also enable us to be extraordinary. A. B. Simpson wrote, “God is preparing His heroes. And when the opportunity comes, He can fit them into their places in a moment. And the world will wonder where they came from.” Gideon’s story reminds us that God helps us all to be very human heroes.
Shirley is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and an expatriate living in Papua New Guinea. Contact |
