leading isn’t easy – part 2

Join me in Judges 7, starting in verse 24. Gideon and his 300 warriors have faced the Midianites, and are now chasing the fleeing ones. They send out messengers to get help from the tribes of Naphtali, Asher and more from Manasseh. Gideon also sent for help from the tribe of Ephraim, asking them to cut off the escape of the Midianites. 

To their credit, Ephraim did that, capturing and killing the two Midianite commanders. What they did aftewards, though, blows my mind. 

They whined. They argued.

Look there at the next verses. They asked, "Why have you treated us this way? Why didn't you send for us when you were going to take on the Midianites?" Translation: "Why did you leave us out? We're obviously capable of fighting and taking care of business!" 

Leadership note: There will always be people who are angry because they weren't included in the task you were given to do, regardless of what God told you. Gideon had done everything he was told by God, including paring his army down so that it would be obvious that it was God who won the battle for Israel, yet the people of Ephraim didn't recognize the magnitude that 300 men (and God) had the terror-striking Midianites on the run, they were more concerned that they hadn't been called out to display their prowess in battle. 

Verse 4 of chapter 8 is a leadership lesson all on it's own. Gideon crossed the Jordan River with his 300 men, and though exhausted, they continued to chase the enemy.

Leadership note: There will be times when you want to take a break, but the chase must continue, no matter how exhausted you are. Now, I'm not advocating working till you drop. That's suicide and a subject that is much better addressed in Anne Jackson's book, Mad Church Disease. What I am saying is that there are times when regardless of how badly we want to give up, take our toys and go home, we can't. We must keep chasing the enemy. We must keep fighting. 

Next we see Gideon and his 300 roll into the town of Succoth where Gideon approaches the leaders of the city. Now mind you, he's chasing the guys who have held these people in total fear for years. Gideon asks these men for food and rest for his warriors. The leaders of Succoth had to see the condition of the men. However, they told Gideon to go on and catch the the kings of Midian first, then they would feed them. 

Leadership note: There are always those who will put conditions on the assistance they will give you. There will be those who say they want to help, but they want to see results before they will do so. These people will wear on you and can distract you from going and doing what God has said.

There's more…stay tuned for part 3.