A man equivalent to 100

Judges 7:3 & 7
Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained....The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”

In a few of my meeting with the national staff, we have talked about this passage and how it often applies when we review how many who have been raised often do not materialise to be a mighty army. The painful fact is that many are available but only a portion are willing to stay, yet within this only a fraction would be ready for God's use.

It does pain my heart to acknowledge the fact that a small percent of the initial conscript will eventually be ready for that day of victorious battle. More so because I've been witnessing a fair bit of high-potential individual drop off the as the days, months and years pass. Will no one remain eventually?

Yet, the battle Gideon had was won with 300 men. A o.oo9% of the original conscript size. In the eyes of man, it must be insane to go to war with such a small team, no matter of elite they could be. However, God would not share His glory and have Israel boasts of its own might. So as we all know of it, the God used the 300 men to route the Midianites.

What does it take to prepare a man who will be one of the 300 ready warriors whom God will call to battle? I take this seriously because I know that a godly-ready man is worth his equivalent to one hundred available ones that God would not deem ready for use.

Honestly, I always wonder how many whom I have the opportunity to teach would still remain on to serve God in steadfastness and be liken to the 300 that God will select to bring Him glory. This is not for me to select, nor for me to take glory that I've raised a person equivalent to a hundred man. But I do think it is important to have high standards in whatever we do for God. If this means we've to ready the people under us and invest what we can so they can be of use when the call is sound, then let us do it.

M.   

The spoken words

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

I'm known to be frank and often very loose tongued. I may not curse vulgarities, but to spew insults or sharp statements is something I do easily.

Spending the last week in the NTC as staff, and now that I'm back home in reflection mode, I'm thankful for the internal struggles I have in the last week when I held back my sarcastic comments that I would have spewed to the trainees in my younger days.

What we say verbally is amazing because it can melt a heart or break it. A good reminder as I slowly age and attempt to be wiser.

M.