Gideon has long been one of my favourite Bible characters, unlikely though this may seem. He was a man full of insecurity, doubt, questions and fear, and yet he became a hero of faith who led Israel to victory against the Midianites. As always, this reminds us that God uses the most unlikely people and people of all personality types can be welcomed and used by God. What matters is not so much who we are as who God is. His presence with us is what makes the difference. (Judges 6:12, 14, 16)
Gideon lived in troubled times, when idolatry meant that Israel was constantly under siege. (Judges 6:1-5) We first see him in a winepress, threshing wheat so that the marauding Midianites woud not steal the crop. Divine intervention in the form of an angel greeting him (‘the Lord is with you, mighty warrior’) brings him into honest conversation with God. He has plenty of questions, but God is not put off by all the flaws and failings he lists. Instead, God responds with his own question, ‘Am I not sending you?’ (Judges 6:14)
Gideon demonstrates to us that it is God’s presence which makes the difference. Even when he has doubts and desperately needs reassurance and confirmation, God is gracious to him. (Judges 6:17-20, 39-40) God understands us and knows our human frailty. (Ps 103:13-14) Even when Gideon moves forward in faith, there is also fear present (Judges 6:27) What counts is that we obey God. We will never necessarily eliminate fear entirely, for faith means stepping out of our comfort zone and relying only on God’s strength, but as we do what He has told us to, one step at a time, we can become mighty warriors and not paralysed worriers!
