March 18

Gideon’s Army

        The Lord said to Gideon, “The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’ Now therefore proclaim this in the hearing of the troops, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.’” Thus Gideon sifted them out; twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. When I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; and when I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

Judges 7:2-4

            Gideon called for the warriors of Israel to assemble in order to drive the invaders out of their homeland.  32,000 men turned out, ready to fight.  Gideon, the reluctant hero, stood at the head of his army, filled with pride and determination and the righteous fervor of the Lord, eager to rush into battle to defeat and destroy his enemies! 

            God pulled him aside and whispered that the army was too big.  The people would think that this was their victory and they no longer needed God.  Send the men who are anxious away.  Two thirds of the men left and a ball of ice developed in Gideon’s gut.  They were going to be outnumbered even when they were at full strength, but now the odds would be strongly against them.  Did I mention that the enemy force was 135,000 strong…and the Israelites would not have swords?  But the Lord had promised to be with Gideon and lead the people to victory.  Gideon swallowed and prepared to attack. 

            Another whisper.  Still too many men.  They went down to the river and God sorted out 300 men to be in Gideon’s army.  The enemy now outnumbered Gideon 450:1 and they were heavily armed.  The Lord’s strategy was for Gideon’s men to rush the camp with a torch in their left hand and trumpet in their right.  The ball of ice was glacier-sized by now.  But Gideon said yes.  He was faithful and said yes to God, even though he had watched over 90% of his resources be stripped away.

            The battle was a rout.  Israel swept away the invaders and pursued the stragglers all the way back to their boarders.  The people heard the stories and they knew, they knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, that it was God who had saved them.

            It was 6^th grade when my son lost his aide.  He had been in a typical classroom since kindergarten and the district had supplied a series of aides who would come in for 10 hours per week to help him through the rigors of attending school.  They would help him stay focused or help redirect him when he was escalating.  They were instrumental in him being able to stay in the classroom.  Then as we were in the midst of his 6^th grade year, the district decided that my son had enjoyed the services of an aide long enough and he was no longer eligible.

            We tried.  His teachers tried.  My son tried and tried and tried. But by early 7^th grade it was clear that a typical classroom without an aide was a doomed proposition.  His grades plummeted, his anxiety skyrocketed and his peer relationships plateaued in an unhealthy place.  We had lost our resources and my son’s academic future was dark.  That ball of ice took up permanent residence in my stomach.

            We pulled him from school and my wife began homeschooling.  It was not always good and it was not always easy…but it has been an amazing experience.  School is now about focusing on learning instead of focusing on not disturbing others.  There is both a set schedule and incredible flexibility for the hard days.  Homework leads to tears 90% less than it used to.  He can pursue subjects where he excels as well as stretching himself in standard academic skills.  I worried about whether our family would have the resources that we needed to make the endeavor work, and it has been just what we were looking for.

            Sometimes we lose resources like an aide or money or 30,000 soldiers in order for God to show us a better way.  

A moment to reflect:

Have there been resources that you have lost that led to finding a better way?  If you are just now in the midst of the loss and you have that ball of ice in your stomach, ask God if this is the opportunity to do something new that will be amazing for your child.