Thursday, September 10, 2020
God Values “Ordinary” People
“So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help” (Judges 6:6 nlt).
John Wesley said, “Give me a hundred men who love God with all their hearts and fear nothing but sin, and I will move the world.”
God effectively changed a culture through one man named Gideon who was willing to stand in the gap and make a difference. Gideon wasn’t perfect, but God saw potential in him. He made it into the exclusive list of courageous men and women in Hebrews 11 who put their faith into action.
What I find interesting about Hebrews 11, the Heroes’ Hall of Faith, is that God never mentions their sins. He tells us about their accomplishments through faith, but He never mentions their flaws or their shortcomings (although other verses do).
Gideon’s world was messed up. It had been two hundred years since Israel had seen the walls of Jericho fall by the power of God. Things had changed because they didn’t finish the job. God told Israel to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan, and Israel obeyed partially. As a result, the Canaanites had come back and grown stronger. Ultimately they were ruling over them.
The Israelites were devastated. They were hungry, hurting, and humiliated, and they started calling on God. He sent His answer in the form of Gideon. God goes out of His way to find ordinary people so that He gets the glory.
When we look at someone like Gideon, it gives hope to those of us who are on the ordinary side. God often will use the unqualified to do the unexpected. The Lord can change the world with an ordinary person who will say, “Lord, I am willing to be that person.” Will you step forward? God can do a lot with a little. God can do a lot with you.
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