March 17th

Gideon the Mighty

                 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior.”  Gideon answered him, “But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hand of Midian.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.” He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.”

Judges 6:11-16

          Gideon was just minding his own business.  He was busy hiding in the bottom of the family wine press, threshing the wheat.  This is hot and dirty and dusty work that is much more effective if you are in large, open spaces where the wind can blow away the chaff.  But Gideon did not want the invaders to see him and have the fruits of his labor stolen.  He did not want a fight.

          The angel of the Lord approached Gideon and greeted him, calling him a mighty warrior.  This was likely the first time that Gideon had been called a mighty anything.  He was the least of the least of the least and he was hiding from the bad guys while doing housework.  He did not look very mighty.  He did not sound very mighty.  He did not feel very mighty.

          But when God looked at Gideon, He did not see the limitations and excuses.  He did not see the fear.  He did not see the family lineage and limited resume.  God looked at Gideon and saw a mighty warrior who had not yet been revealed.  He saw a man who would one day stand up to the false gods and lead a great victory against the invading Midianites and restore freedom to God’s children.  He would do all these things because God would be with him every step of the way.  He would be mighty because he would be God’s.

            We have the opportunity to speak strength into our children’s lives, just as the angel did with Gideon.  We have the opportunity to describe them with characteristics that we have seen glimpses of but that have not yet been fully revealed.  We have the opportunity to transform their labels.  They have been called “retarded,” “special needs,” “high maintenance,” “marginalized,” and “outcast.” The have been labelled with ASD and FAS and TBI and AD/HD and IDD and Downs Syndrome and Spina Bifoda and dozens of other diagnoses.  They have files that are hundreds of pages long detailing what is wrong with them and how to fix it based on their labels.

          As their parents…as the ones who know them best, we have the opportunity to call out the other labels that we see residing within our children.  They are “Mighty” and “Brilliant” and “Compassionate” and “Athletic” and “Inspirational” and “Hilarious.”  They are Hard Workers, Overcomers, Beloved Children of God.  So many of our words to our children are in times of correction and training.  We need to make sure that we also take time to mention to them the positives and the potential that we see within them.  Affirm them when they use good manners or do well on a test.  Point out a great social interaction they just had.  Praise the funny joke that they just made.  We see it all, both the good and the bad.  We should say it all as well.

          The angel saw the totality of Gideon.  The visitor chose to address him not by who he currently was, but by who he would become.  That choice laid the groundwork for Gideon to believe that he could grow into that version of himself.  We can lay that same groundwork for our kids.  

A moment to reflect:

What do you see in your child that has not been fully realized?  Speak that into their lives today.