“Me, me, me, me!”
Hands are raised, and the excitement is palpable. It’s a scene any grade school teacher knows well. Being the first in line for lunch? “Me, me, me, me!” Choosing today’s games for recess? “Me, me, me, me!” To be the leader in dodgeball? “Me, me, me, me!”
We seem to lose that enthusiasm as we grow older. The first one in line is often the guinea pig that takes the hits so the path can be easier for those who come later. Not everyone will love the games we choose, and the leader in dodgeball? She’s the one who receives the most hits.
We learn there’s a price for being chosen first. We also learn that if we let the other guy take the hits, life can be easier for us.
Judges 1:1 gives us the Israelites pleading before God:
“Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”
Judges 1:2 reveals God making his choice:
“Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”
Judges 1:3 shows Judah crying out, “Me, me, me, me!”
“And Judah said to Simeon his brother, ‘Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.’ ”
Judges 1:4 is God’s gift of victory to his eager participants:
“Then Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek.”
There’s a price for crying out, “Me, me, me, me!” We have to be willing to be on the forefront of what God’s doing. It’s a risky place to be in the eyes of the world. However, it’s a rewarding place to be in the eyes of our almighty God.
Let’s leap for joy when God says he has a job for us to do.
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Code: FGO.E.03.15c.vp.esv