What Others See in You

“Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.” (Jud 8:21 AV)

Zebah and Zalmunna were kings of Midian.  The Midianites had enslaved the people of Israel because they went after strange gods.  The LORD raised up Gideon to deliver them from the hands of the Midianites.  God gave Gideon victory at the battlefield, but he had to chase down these two kings.  Now captured, Gideon ordered a young man to arise and slay these two kings as justice for all they had done.  Unfortunately, the lad was too young.  He didn’t have the disposition of a grown man.  Therefore, we see the request of these two kings for Gideon to be their executioner.  This request was a request for mercy.  They wanted a quick death.  We can look at it from a slightly different angle.  The two kings made an observation that benefited themselves.  But it was an honest observation.  Gideon was more than he thought he was.  More than he gave himself credit for.  Perhaps this is what the LORD meant when he told Gideon to, “go in this thy strength.”  Others saw in Gideon what he could not see in himself.  Something obvious and plain to all.

To be clear, Gideon did not delegate the execution of these two kings to a youth because he didn’t think he could do it.  Rather, it was an opportunity for this young man to mature into a soldier.  It was also an open show of disrespect towards the two kings.  The statement was they were nothing if a youth could slay them.  Having said that, the statement of these two men did have a ring of truth to it.  They didn’t ask for any other to kill them.  They didn’t ask for a swordsman who was larger than Gideon to wheeled the sword.  They ask for the one whom they considered the noblest of all – Gideon.  They asked for Gideon to be their executioner out of respect for him and what it would mean if the leader took their life rather than an underling.  In short, their statement was one of truth and respect.  A statement before all who followed Gideon that Gideon was the rightful leader and worthy of respect.  This had to be humbling to Gideon.  Like Moses, Gideon was the reluctant ruler.  When given an opportunity to rule over his brethren in Shechem, he declined.  He would not allow his sons to take that responsibility as well.  He stated (and rightfully so) that God was their king.  Not a man.  This reluctancy to lead served him well in keeping him from pride.  It served him well.  On the other hand, a leader cannot run from leadership his entire life.  Otherwise, he is not a leader. 

There comes a time when he must lead because others recognize it.  As the two kings who were about to lose their lives recognized the leadership of Gideon, others did too.  If God calls you to lead, then lead.  Lead in the lane which He has assigned.  Do not seek another’s lane.  If your marathon is not the fasted or the one with the most honor, so be it.  Don’t settle for the one farthest removed either.  Unless that is the lane that the LORD has assigned.  Be willing to see in yourself what others see.  That is the workmanship of God.  The truth is, our definition of leadership is not formed by what we think of ourselves.  It is not even determined solely by what others think of us.  It is established by fact.  God has given a measure of strength and that measure is the definition of our leadership.  As a man is, so is his strength.