Who, me?

I love to read Judges 6.  Here we are introduced to Gideon, the great military leader who eventually defeats the huge Midianite army with just a few hundred men, some clay jars, trumpets and torches.

Rewind

The Israelites had been oppressed by the nation of Midian for years.  Food was scarce and people were hungry.  Everything the Israelites planted was quickly destroyed.  Then the angel of the Lord came to Gideon.  He greeted him by saying, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."

Irony

Gideon was not wielding his sword.  He was not shielded head to toe in fine armor.  Gideon was at the wine press, threshing wheat.  What does a wine press have to do with threshing wheat?  Nothing! Gideon was hiding from the Midianites.  Gideon was trying to avoid their notice and protect his harvest.  There was nothing wrong with what he was doing.  It seems like a reasonable ploy; not a brave ploy, but reasonable.

It is then that the angel said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."  I imagine when the angel called him "mighty warrior" his eyes rolled in their sockets and his jaw thrust forward.  I imagine he grumbled in irritation.  He may have felt that the angel was mocking his cowardice.  Hiding out is not a mark of courage.  Gideon ignored the title given to him and turned the conversation back to God's supposed failure in order to mitigate his own.  "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?"  (The answer is not given here but earlier verses tell us that Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord and needed a wake up call.)

The angel spoke the words of the Lord, turning the spotlight back to Gideon.  "Go in the strength you have, and save Israel out of Midian's hand.  Am I not sending you?"

Gideon may have thought, "You have GOT to be kidding me!  You have the wrong guy!"  Gideon saw what was immediately visible.  The Midianites were a numerous people.  The Midianites had oppressed the Israelites for years.  Gideon was a FARMER.  And not only that, he was a FEARFUL FARMER.  Mighty warrior?  Deliverer of Israel?  Not now, not today, not ever.

Fast Forward

Gideon + three hundred men + clay jars + trumpets + torches + God = Judges 8:28  "Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again.

Imagine

The angel of the Lord appears to the thirty year old cashier.  "The Lord is with you, university professor."
The angel of the Lord appears to the stay at home mom.  "The Lord is with you, CEO."
The angel of the Lord appears to the high school student.  "The Lord is with you, world changer."

These hypothetical people are doing good and honorable work.  They may be right where God has placed them for that time.   You might be right where God has placed you for this time.  But it only takes a moment for your trajectory to change.  God sees you as you truly are, right now; and because God is not confined by time, He sees you as you will be.  He can call that out in you whenever he pleases.  He is preparing you for it.  He might not always choose to tell you what your future holds, but He knows.  And when He does call to you, when He speaks to you and clearly defines you, you can be sure that His words are true, and you are capable, even if you want to roll your eyes, thrust out your jaw and groan in skepticism.