Hey, Boo, Whatchu Got there in Your Hands?
I have been thinking about this blog post for a week now. I can't sleep until it's ready! Ok, here goes:
Every single one of us has something we must achieve on earth, something we are predestined to accomplish in life. Some of us know what it is, some of us don't. For those who do, please consider this: If there is something you are called to do, please do it. Forget the limitations. Forget the supposed inadequacies. Forget that you aren't as educated or trained as everyone else. Forget all the reasons you shouldn't try.
Last week Thursday, at about 11.45am, I'm flipping through my bible and for some reason I flip to the book of Judges. The only people I know from this book are Judge Deborah, Gideon and Samson. Anyway, in my flipping, I find this guy known as Shamgar. I know, never heard of him myself, until Thursday.
In my mind's eye, Shamgar has a stern, weathered face with a curly, shiny beard; happy, beady eyes which grow cold and gaga when he gets cranky. He got cranky, really cranky, a number of times. It's recorded that he killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad.
If you just brushed over that like meh...you need to read it again.
Shamgar killed 600 men with an oxgoad.
An oxgoad is a farm instrument with a pointy end used to prod ox on their tushes to get them moving along. I want to imagine that this poky end is not particularly sharp enough to pierce through skin, because no one wants to hurt their livestock.
Mr. Shamgar-Gaga-eyes killed with it. 600 times. I'm not sure how.
A little background, during his time, Israel was hustle town. They were broke and constantly bullied at that time by whoever cared to be bothered by their existence. They were so broke and helpless, that they didn't even have ammunition to fight against their oppressors.
Judge Debbie mentions in Judges 5, that spears were rare during this time. Gear and kevlars were a little unavailable; there were no night-goggles, swords, arrows, nothing.
Meanwhile, this guy, Shamgar, without ammo, steps in on the scene and performs some world-class guerilla attack on the Philistines.
600 men with an oxgoad.
Moses crossed the Red Sea -not a river, a sea, using a raggedy, wooden shepherd's staff! *hello, goosebumps*
David killed a 9-foot terrorist with a sling and stones!
Here's the cute part. These tools are items they've always had with them, stuff they used everyday to do menial jobs! Shamgar poked tushes with his oxgoad; Moses grabbed stray, confused sheep with his staff, David caught pheasants for dinner with his sling and probably strolled down the road, flashing it, all wooden and rugged, to the uncontrollable swoon of several girls. (David was the Beiber of his time. Just in case you didn't know. That sling was arguably the best part of his game. Wink.)
They are right there, our game changers- instruments we use everyday, that lay carelessly on our desks, that sit idly on our dressers, that sit in the car boot; instruments we take for granted, stuff that we've had in our hands all along!
Don't despise your instruments and don't look down on your abilities. When God's power courses through those things we hold in our hands, we will achieve much more than we could even ever imagine or devise!
So hey boo, whatchu got there in your hand?
Written after a complete panic attack about my writing skills being completely inadequate. And then Shamgar happened! *grin* Do you ever feel this way? Do you ever get those panic attacks? What gets you through? Have you discovered your calling? How did it happen? I would love to hear your thoughts!
