The mark of a man

Originally written March 16

Today: 1 Chronicles 7-8

What will people say about you when you’re no longer with them?

It may sound like a morbid question, but that’s not my intent. We all have people in our lives who we touch for moments—maybe even several years—and then we’re no longer part of their lives. Maybe because we no longer live near them, work with them or attend the same school.

I thought about this question as I read today’s chapters—chapters filled mostly with names. To me at this moment, most of the names are letters filling a screen (for you, they might be letters on an actual page). They are letters that mark lives long forgotten.

But not all of them. Here’s one description that stood out to me today:

These were Asher's sons,
all of them responsible,
excellent in character,
and brave in battle—
good leaders.

Unlike some of the people mentioned in today’s passage (like Joshua or Jonathan), I don’t know much about Asher’s sons. I like what I read, though. This tombstone-like depiction of Asher’s sons describes men with greatness in them. Perhaps most significantly, these were men who left a mark. What will yours be?

Tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 9-11

The not-so-desperate housewives

Today: Judges 3-5

Sometimes God uses the most ordinary people to do the most extraordinary things. In today's passage, he used two women I'm referring to as the not-so-desperate housewives. Their names were Deborah and Jael. One ruled a nation and the other killed a mighty warrior, to be exact.

What makes them extraordinary?

Think about it. Even in 2010, how many women are leaders of their countries? Not many. Think back through history to a time well before Jesus walked the planet. I'm sure it was very, very, very rare. Most of the time, women were treated as second-class citizens. However, Deborah was a leader--a judge governing Israel. To top it off, she was also a spiritual leader, a prophet. I'm guessing that she was a pretty incredible chick because she was very well respected by a guy named Barak. Barak was a military leader (a pretty strong guy in his own right!). But when Deborah told Barak that God wanted him go into battle, Barak said:

"If you go with me, I'll go.

But if you don't go with me, I won't go."

Honestly, I don't know if Barak's words indicate more about his lack of confidence in himself (or even God?) or if they are more indicative of his great respect for Deborah. It's probably a combination of all three factors. One thing's for sure: Deborah was extraordinary. God talked to her and through her--and events transpired just as she said:

She said, "Of course I'll go with you.

But understand that with an attitude like that,

there'll be no glory in it for you.

God will use a woman's hand to take care of Sisera (the enemy)."

Enter Jael. She was a housewife--an incredibly smart woman who used her power and her kindness to capture and kill an evil warrior. She invited him into her home, gave him milk and a place to lay down his head--and then proceeded to nail a tent peg through it while he slept! Wow! To be honest, it sounds like a scene from the show "24" (one of my favorites). It would be equivalent to an American housewife wooing Osama bin Laden with hospitality--and then killing him in his sleep. Can you imagine?!? Jael had courage and guts. She used what she had to help God's people.

I've dubbed these women the not-so-desperate housewives because they were confident--in God and in the smarts He gave them. Unlike military leader Barak, they didn't downplay their strengths or God's.

I pray that I can have even a fraction of that confidence. If we all walked in that kind of courage, what extraordinary things could God do with our lives? And what could be the impact on the people around us?

Tomorrow: Judges 6-7