Just Do It

Have you ever wondered if you are equipped to perform in a particular situation? Like me, do you think that you are not good enough to help others, or even yourself, when circumstances warrant help? We can look to what God has given us at the very moment we need it right where we are.

Throughout the Bible, we can find words of encouragement and direction to help us. But there is one obscure verse in the Old Testament that most read right past it. It is a verse that doesn’t seem to give guidance or information, but God’s Word is “God-breathed” (1 Tim. 3:16) and “living and active” (Heb. 4:12). That means that even in the smallest parts, we can found profound wisdom. This is because the Holy Spirit is the breath.

Here is the verse I am referring to:

“After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, an he also save Israel.” Judges 3:31 (ESV)

Shamgar was not an Israelite. In fact, he was a Hurrian, which is non-Semitic. As a small bit of historical context, around 1550 B.C., more than 200 years before the Israelite settlement, there was an influx of Hurrians into the land of Canaan. According to Britannica, “The weakening of the Semitic states in Mesopotamia after 1550 (B.C.) enabled the Hurrians to penetrate deeper into this region, where they founded numerous small states in the eastern parts of Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Syria.” He was a simple farmer making due with what he had.

Now the Philistines invaded the land where he resided. When they came to his land, he didn’t just sit back and let them take all that he had and all that his neighbors had. He stood up for himself and his neighbors. It so happens that he was residing with the Israelites. It is safer to live near people than to live all by yourself. God used Shamgar to save the Israelites. He took what he had on hand, an oxgoad, and killed 600 enemies. An oxgoad is a traditional farming implement used to spur or guide livestock, usually oxen, which are pulling a plow or a cart. It is also used to round up cattle. It is a type of long stick with a pointed end.

And we can learn three things from this one verse on Shamgar:

1. Start where you are. When a trial or difficult circumstance arises as it inevitably will, we can face it right where we are. There is no need to wait until we are at a certain place or station in life whether socioeconomically or emotionally. We just need to act.
2. Use what you have. As we assess what we have at our disposal in the moment, we can see that we ultimately have something we can use in the situation. It may be that that the resource isn’t originally designed for what you need, or you may think that it is too weak to be used for the struggle at hand. However, God can do great things with very little. Trust Him with it.
3. Do what you can. We may not have the expertise to perform a particular task that combats the trouble, but we must try anyway if we want to succeed. Laying down for the enemy becoming enslaved or worse is not a viable option for success. When we get in our pity-pool of self-deprecation, we must remember that we can do something no matter how small. We must motivate ourselves and others to action.

Shamgar fought right where he was with what he had. He didn’t wait around for someone else to fight for him. He didn’t wait until he had more effective weapons or a militia. He looked at what he had on hand and was moved to action. And God gave him success.

What in your life are you waiting to deal with? Are you waiting until you have enough money to pay a large debt? Start with what you have, even if it is not the total amount. Are you avoiding a relationship that God is leading you to repair? Pray, reach out, and take the first step to rebuild it. Are you waiting to advance in your career until someone else gives you the advancement? It’s not going to happen unless you take action. You will remain enslaved in the stagnant situation if you do not take action.

No matter where you are or what you have, give it to God and watch what great things He does with you.

Gotta go fill up my cup…..