We are in the process of repainting the inside of the house. As we were working together last night my husband started grumbling and I said to him, "If you need to stop, then stop, because you have such a negative attitude!" He replied, "I don't enjoy the process like you (meaning me as a woman), I want to see the results (meaning as a man I just want to get it done)." Even though I am completely capable of painting by myself, he feels the need to help even when it is physically uncomfortable for him. It's the gentleman in him, he can't help himself. Besides he is goal oriented so he wants to finish what he starts right away.
As I painted by myself this morning, I started to see the wisdom in God's design of men and women. I am grateful for my ability to enjoy the process, it makes even mundane tasks a little more appealing. And since I have a lot of chores as a mom and wife, my life is more pleasant with my disposition. I am also grateful for my husband’s need to get things done. His drive gives us a good pace and keeps me motivated. We bring balance to each other, we complement each other. I think that is a brilliant part of God's plan and I shared that with Him in my prayer this morning. His wisdom never ceases to amaze me!
Judges 9-10
So far in the Book of Judges, we have considered the ministries of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah and Gideon. Today, I would like to talk about the lives and ministries of two of the Minor Judges, Tola and Jair. While the Bible has very little to say about these two men, their lives and deeds have much to teach us.
In Judges 9 we are told the story of a man by the name of Abimelech. Abimelech was the son of Gideon by his concubine (Jud. 8:31). After the death of Gideon, Abimelech determines within himself that he will be the ruler of Israel. He convinces his mother’s people, the Shechemites to support him in his quest to become the king of Israel.
The men of Shechem confer among themselves and decide to help Abimelech. They give him seventy pieces of silver (9:4). Using this money, Abimelech hires a group of thugs to help him achieve his goal (9:4).
Abimelech takes these men to his father’s house and kills 69 of his seventy half-brothers (9:5). The youngest, a boy named Jotham escapes (9:5). After this, the men of Shechem declare Abimelech to be their king (9:6). After his anointing, Abimelech ruled as the king for three years (9:22). In the end, the men of Shechem turned on Abimelech and there was war between them and the followers of Abimelech (9:23-49). In the midst of an attack upon the walls of Thebez, Abimelech got too close to the wall and a woman threw a piece of a millstone from the wall and hit Abimelech in the head (9:53). Knowing that he was dying, Abimelech commanded one of his men to kill his with a sword so that it would not be said that Abimelech had been killed by a woman (9:54).
By the time Abimelech is dead, the nation of Israel is left in tatters from a vicious civil war. Military upheaval isn’t the only problem the nation faced. The Bible tells us that as soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned their backs on God and gave their worship to the Canaanite fertility god Baal (8:33-34).
As a result of all these problems, the nation of Israel is in a mess. This was the nation inherited by Tola and Jair.
These two men may not have led any great military campaigns. They might not have commanded great armies. They may not have left a legacy of great spiritual achievements. But, what they did accomplish deserves consideration. What they did still challenges us today.
These men helped maintain peace for nearly 50 years in a nation split apart by war, rebellion and pagan worship. That in itself is no small feat. When there were no attacks from the outside, they helped prevent the nation from being ripped apart from the inside. Theirs was a ministry of peace in a time of turmoil. Tola and Jair did in their day exactly what we are supposed to be doing in our day.
Tola and Jair served for a total of 45 years. They did not lead armies. They did not build cities. They did not write books. What they did was for more important. These men stood for God in an evil day. Their lives, though little is recorded about them, still teach to us today.
What can we learn from their lives? Here are a few thoughts:
Ø You do not have to be famous make a difference – Tola and Jair are not well known, but their lives made a difference for thousands of people living in Israel in that day.
Ø You do not have to accomplish great deeds to live an extraordinary life – Tola and Jair never did anything extraordinary, but their lives still testify today.
Ø God can help you make the best of a bad situation – Tola and Jair inherited a country in trouble. God gave them the ability to hold their nation together for nearly 50 years.
Ø God is honored by, and He will honor, a consistent life – Tola and Jair did not accomplish anything that stands out, but just a look at the length of their judgeship reveals that they were consistent. They stood for the Lord for many years and God honored their faithfulness.
This story encourages us to keep living for the Lord regardless of what is going on around us. Keep living for Him even when times are lean. Keep living for Him even when others walk away. Keep living for Him even when you are attacked for it. Keep living for Him even when it is unpopular. At the end of a life of faithful, consistent love for the Lord we will hear these words:
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord,” (Matt. 25:21).
Hearing these will make every mile of the trip worthwhile!
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