Judges Chapter 8 Verses 1-3 (NLT)
Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us this way? Why didn’t you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?” And they argued heatedly with Gideon.
But Gideon replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the leftover grapes of Ephraim’s harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of Abiezer? God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeeb, the commanders of the Midianite army. What have I accomplished compared to that?” When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, their anger subsided.
Perhaps the people of Ephraim were suffering from ‘a fear of missing out,’ or perhaps they were too self-assured. They were quick to express their unhappiness to Gideon. Gideon, on the other hand, was very gracious in the way that they dealt with their heated complaint, and it diffused the situation.
Do we get frustrated, or even angry, if we are not involved right at the heart of things. Whether its directly involved in spiritual things, or in any other aspect of life, we need to be sure that we are doing what God wants, and not simply acting in our own strength. We also need to be careful how we deal with people who may feel they have a right to be involved in what we are doing.
Gideon had learned to listen to God’s voice and to obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting. He had grown spiritually and it showed. That’s an important lesson that we all need to emulate.
Dear Lord,
Help me to realise there are times where You might want me to let others take the lead, but there will be other times when I need to step up like Gideon, even if it seems there are others who might do things better than me. I know the most important thing is to do what You want. Give me the grace and wisdom I pray to act as You direct. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.