All Your Mighty Men of Valor

Good Saturday! Joshua said it to his commanders back in the day of the invasion of Canaan. He commanded all the mighty men of valor to gather provisions and pass armed before their brethren. Armies and tribes of the past said to let the warriors gather, fully armed, to resist or attack as the need commanded. We said and did a similar thing in my day. "Grab your gear, Marines! We will go to the armory to check out weapons and march back in formation." In every time and place, we have felt the need for strong words to strengthen our quaking hearts. The Lord helped Joshua before the command went out. "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." (Joshua 1:6)

We do not often feel like mighty men of valor. It is a lot easier to feel like a flighty man of pallor. We find it difficult to face up to the boss when he or she is wrong. The government roars and we tremble. The economy stumbles and we fall. So much in the world appears to have power over us that we may wonder how to go forth in courage. Where will this courage come from? Do we have authority over anything at all?

The Lord's messenger found Gideon threshing grain in the grape smusher, trying to hide some food from the marauding Midianites. The angel addressed him as a mighty man of valor. Gideon responded that he was the least of the smallest. Hardly a good start for God's chosen warrior. Gideon's first mighty act of valor was to sneak in at night to tear down the altar of a false god because he was afraid of his own people. Indeed, the next morning those same people gathered demanding that Gideon be given to them to kill. This is the tribe that Gideon will lead in combat? Gideon too must have wondered if he had authority over anything at all.

God does not walk the nations looking for those who think they are mighty or have authority already. God looks for people like you and me. We don't feel mighty, and we don't feel authoritative. God gives us authority to do what He calls us to do. God also gives us the strength required to perform His calling. In fact, it seems that God purposely seeks out the least of the smallest to do His great works. A baby from Bethlehem changed the world. Gideon went on to rout an army of 135,000 raiders with a force of 300 men (long before the Spartan thing). If you feel like the least of the smallest, God may be calling you to a great work. Get ready!

Bucky