(if you are viewing this via email, the website has a recording of this poem and commentary; click the title above)
Commentary
THE STORY
In Judges 7, God makes it clear He doesn’t want anyone confusing their strength with His. So He has Gideon reduce his army of 32,000 to a mere 300 men. Now, are those 300 men going to win because of their strength? No. They’re going to win because they know how to shut up and follow orders. Their wisdom as soldiers begins with a healthy respect for God.
DISCERNING
In writing the little poem about Gideon’s army reduction, I needed a single word to describe the select 300. For now, I’m happy with “discerning.” Their clear-eyed recognition of both the dangers and the utility of following uncommon orders made them cautious and brave. In following God’s way, they’d win the day.
A PERSONAL APPLICATION
As a recovering perfectionist, I’m always torn. Getting things right is important. But success doesn’t ultimately depend on my perfect planning and execution. Rather, it sometimes relies on my willingness to “take chances.” More than the fear of failure, I must fear my independence, my smooth self-reliance, my silent perfectionism.
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(background image based on this prompt to ChatGPT: “Create a square-format, dark depiction of Gideon’s 300 soldiers from the Judges chapter seven story”)