CHAD SWANZY

Here's a simple post. I've found two different actions birthed out of two different kinds of people in the Bible. This is not something new we do it all the time in youth work to show the pros and cons but in recent days I have thought long and hard about people and action.

In Judges 5 the children of Israel were celebrating victory in song. They had a lot of accolades to give out to people but when they came to summarizing the clan of Reuben and their part they said this;

But in Reuben's divisions there was much second-guessing.
Why all those campfire discussions?
Diverted and distracted,
Reuben's divisions couldn't make up their minds.

Ouch! We've all been there and done that. Maybe you've been a part of a group, committee, or season where it seemed like all you did was sat around and talked about doing something. Those moments can be rather painful to contemplate and hopefully they are there to teach us.

Now moving on to the polar opposite of this passage let's look at I Samuel 14. The Philistines have got King Saul pinned down and Saul's son Jonathan is pretty sick and disgusted of getting owned. Here is Jonathan's polar opposite moment;

6 Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come on now, let's go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There's no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop GOD from saving when he sets his mind to it."

7 His armor bearer said, "Go ahead. Do what you think best. I'm with you all the way."

8-10 Jonathan said, "Here's what we'll do. We'll cross over the pass and let the men see we're there. If they say, 'Halt! Don't move until we check you out,' we'll stay put and not go up. But if they say, 'Come on up,' we'll go right up—and we'll know God has given them to us. That will be our sign."

11 So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, "Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!"

12 Then they yelled down to Jonathan and his armor bearer, "Come on up here! We've got a thing or two to show you!"

13 Jonathan shouted to his armor bearer, "Up! Follow me! God has turned them over to Israel!" Jonathan scrambled up on all fours, his armor bearer right on his heels. When the Philistines came running up to them, he knocked them flat, his armor bearer right behind finishing them off, bashing their heads in with stones.

I didn't mean to make this post look like a Christmas ornament but I had to highlight those stunning affirmative action phrases in green. These are two polar opposite stories. It brings to mine some no brainer realities...

1. The more people you have on a group the higher the probability you will sit around and just talk, banter, or argue about it.
2. At the end of the day people will not say, "They talked about doing it and that's pretty cool."
3. God can do anything he wants to through many or just a few.
4. If you have someone by your side, on your heels, and ready to serve that is a very precious thing.
5. You need someone who will follow after you and finish off what you knock down.

So, what are you talking about doing and just need to do?
How are you serving those who lead you?
Who can you count on to run after God's victory?
How do you want it to go down in history with your leadership?

Soul Revolution: How Imperfect People Become All God Intended