Today’s Reading: Judges 11-12, Luke 6:1-26
Today’s Reflection: Judges 11:7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?
Jephthah, a man once disposable, has now become indispensable. He whose mother was a lady of ill repute, and whose half-brothers thereby rejected him, is now sought after as if he’s the only hope they have of winning a war into which they are planning to engage.
Be careful how you treat your treasures, for you may need them again! Jesus even taught us not to cast our pearls before swine (see Matt. 7:6). If you do, you will only end up broke, busted, and disgusted.
The problem with casting pearls before swine, or with rejecting brethren because they don’t share all the same origins as you, is that you fail to recognize their value until circumstances turn against you. There is an important lesson to be learned; never dispose of what is intrinsically valuable, for you may wish you hadn’t for need of it later!
Jephthah, undoubtedly because of his background, having become a man of valor and strength, must have had to fight his way up through childhood into manhood just to survive. I imagine he was mocked, hated, ridiculed, bullied, terrorized, beat up, and made fun of until he was old enough to fight for himself.
He was certainly at a social disadvantage, but that did not stop him! In fact, it proved to motivate him to never be subpar. He was motivated to rise above the reproach men placed upon him for something he personally could not change.
What did he do? Well, we learn that not only did he become a mighty man of valor, but he was also well-educated with the history of Israel. His discussion with the king of Ammon proved that he was well-versed in history, and also had an in depth understanding of the geographical surroundings of the land. He was as sharp as a tack!
Also, I will point out that he had a walk with The Lord, because of his apparent prayer life, and his principled and dedicated resolve to follow through on his promises to The Lord, even when it meant giving his daughter to The Lord to remain a virgin for the rest of her life. So, he had a lot going for him.
Furthermore, his brethren knew that he would be advantageous on the battle field, so he must have also been skilled in war. All that noted, Jephthah rose above the rubble with determination and an unfeigned faith in God Almighty to help him.
And did it pay off? Oh yes! In fact, those who treated him as disposable earlier finally had to admit his worth and ask for his help. Application? Rise above your rejection; your worth will be needed one day!
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Floodgates of Heaven, Volume 2, Entry 90 of 365
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill
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