The Gideon story's tends to be shared from the angle of his sucesses over the Midinites (I will be doing some of that myself on this coming Sunday) but often when someone finds great success in one area of life we later see the consequences trickle down through the families that they were to be leading. Many of our biblical "heros?" drop the ball when it comes to family. (See David and Noah, for two popular examples, or just check out what Gideon did here.)
Gideon's family became a mess after he was gone and chapter 9 shares the devestating results of their attempts to cling to control and power.
I want to say, why? Why Gideon, just why?
But then, I worry that I may here a similar question whispred back to me. "How ya doing in your family Dan?"
I've never asked my son to run someone through with a sword, but I did ask him to sleep on the floor in the two bedroom appartment we rented during our early days of ministry. Meanwhile, his mother and I "called by God" slept in the comfy bed. Eventually we came to our senses and switched with him but these days I can't help but wonder just how much hurt has trickled down in our own family and what we might do to address it today?
“But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
Judges 9:11
What do you think? Keep reading.