Today’s passage is Judges 8:13-28. Gideon punished the elders of Succoth by whipping them with thorns. He pulled down the tower of Peniel and killed the townsmen. He told his son to kill Zeba and Zalmunna but he was afraid to so Gideon did it. The Israelites wanted to make Gideon and his son kings over them but he said God would rule them. Gideon asked each of his soldiers for a gold ring from their plunder which he made into a gold ephod which the Israelites then worshipped, causing problems.
Why did Gideon ask his son to kill the kings?
Why did he make a golden ephod?
The Midian kings told Gideon to kill them himself because it was his job, not his son’s (21).
When I was a university student, some friends and I drove across Canada to look for summer jobs in the oil business.
On the way we stopped at my father’s hometown where his mother still lived.
When we got to her house, it took a long while to convince her that I was her grandson.
Afterwards, I asked for directions to my uncle’s place.
This is what she said: “You’re a big boy, find it yourself.” We laughed so much.
That command#8212;find it yourself#8212;became a favorite saying of ours.
But I’d forgotten about it until I read today’s passage.
Gideon is ordered by his enemies to stay in his role#8212;Do it yourself.
Whenever there is a decision to be made or an action to be taken that makes me uncomfortable, I try to get someone else to do it.
I did that a lot in my first marriage, which is why I lost the respect of my first wife.
Worse, I lost respect for myself and distracted myself with activities like outdoor education and teaching university classes at night when I had a good and busy job as a high school teacher.
I lost sight of my role because I only wanted the fun part of being a husband and dad.
I didn’t take my role seriously because I didn’t really accept it along with my circumstances.
I wasn’t practical. I left all that to my wife.
I left most of the disciplining and teaching of the children to my wife.
She never told me to Do it yourself.
No one did that I can remember. If they had, I’m sure I closed my ears to their words.
So now I’m a husband again and I’m a school principal. Everything is my responsibility. There is no one else to do it.
These circumstances are the result of my life. I’m in training camp.
I have to learn to do it myself before the circumstances will change.
Once I truly and sincerely obey God’s command to “Do it yourself”, my circumstances will change because I will have been changed.
Application: To make the decision on my school’s direction for the next year, outline the plan, and put the people and resources in place to accomplish it.
Lord, give me your Spirit to seek your will and give me your courage to act as I strive to obey your command to fulfill my roles responsibly.
