By Ron Thomas
As important as one’s family is, sometimes family members are very wrong about others. Two examples: consider Jephthah. He was the son of his father Gilead, but to a woman not the mother of his siblings (Judges 11). When the children were grown, because Jephthah was not a “full-blooded” member of the family (i.e., having the same mother as they), they kicked him out and down the road (so to speak). Because he was thrust out from the family and on his own, he had to make his own way; he learned how to be a warrior. A portion of Israel was in trouble, the children of Ammon were beating down the door (if you will) and because Jephthah proved himself a man of valor, Jephthah was called to lead them in this difficult time. They judged him unacceptable, but then changed their minds when they were in a hard spot.
Second, David was the youngest son of Jesse, a devoted man to the Lord. David was a man of valor, but his older brothers did not see him the way the Lord did. David was a courageous man. On one notable occasion, when his older brothers fought for King Saul in the Israelite army, a huge man named Goliath called out Israel for a warrior to do battle. David asks about this and his older brother took exception to David’s inquiry. Nevertheless, David steps forward during Goliath’s mocking. In the end, David is victorious.
Sometimes families get things wrong. If they judge family members wrong, people they know well, how well will they judge things they don’t know as well? If you have family members against you or who are not sure about you (including the church family), be reminded there were others before you. What should you do? Stay the course of righteousness, trust in the Lord and do not lean on your own understanding about how to navigate uncertainty. You will also be victorious.
As important as one’s family is, sometimes family members are very wrong about others. Two examples: consider Jephthah. He was the son of his father Gilead, but to a woman not the mother of his siblings (Judges 11). When the children were grown, because Jephthah was not a “full-blooded” member of the family (i.e., having the same mother as they), they kicked him out and down the road (so to speak). Because he was thrust out from the family and on his own, he had to make his own way; he learned how to be a warrior. A portion of Israel was in trouble, the children of Ammon were beating down the door (if you will) and because Jephthah proved himself a man of valor, Jephthah was called to lead them in this difficult time. They judged him unacceptable, but then changed their minds when they were in a hard spot.
Second, David was the youngest son of Jesse, a devoted man to the Lord. David was a man of valor, but his older brothers did not see him the way the Lord did. David was a courageous man. On one notable occasion, when his older brothers fought for King Saul in the Israelite army, a huge man named Goliath called out Israel for a warrior to do battle. David asks about this and his older brother took exception to David’s inquiry. Nevertheless, David steps forward during Goliath’s mocking. In the end, David is victorious.
Sometimes families get things wrong. If they judge family members wrong, people they know well, how well will they judge things they don’t know as well? If you have family members against you or who are not sure about you (including the church family), be reminded there were others before you. What should you do? Stay the course of righteousness, trust in the Lord and do not lean on your own understanding about how to navigate uncertainty. You will also be victorious.
- Ron Thomas preacher for the Sunrush Church of Christ, Chillicothe, OH. He may be contacted through the congregation's website. http://sunrushchurchofchrist.com/
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