Judges 8:22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”
Today’s reading and the Israelites behavior brought to mind 1 Cor 10:23 “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial.” It feels like the Israelites want someone to rule over them so that they don’t have to figure out for themselves what is good and beneficial for them. With someone to rule over then, that someone would make those decisions and all the Israelites would need to do is follow.
Judges 8:23 But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.”
That puts me in mind of behaviors I sometimes see in my job—people who desperately want to fit in, people trying to push boundaries in an attempt to establish what boundaries are arbitrary and can be crossed without consequence and what boundaries are there for their good or the good of society. It can be a tricky balance, but ultimately, we have to decide for ourselves using our own moral compass, developed through pushing and testing, developed through our relationship with Christ.
Judges 8:33a No sooner had Gideon died then the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that we need to push and test boundaries to develop our moral compass in You. Help us not to seek outside forces to rule over us. Help us to draw closer to You, to seek more of You, always. Amen.
Judges 8:33b-34 …They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.