For Parents and Leaders

When I read the book of Judges I can't help thinking about who should be the reader.  Though Judges is a bit weird and has some of the strangest characters and events of the entire Bible, it is pointed in what it says about God's nature, the nature of people and the sharp warning for God's people.  In Judges we see the instrument of foreign, pagan people used to visit deserved punishment upon the Hebrew people.  We see imperfect leaders used by God to deliver His people yet you know as you read that they will again fall into the pattern of idolatry and sin that caused the need for a great leader.  Phrases repeat, the most memorable of which is the last sentence of the book ... "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."  The Hebrews didn't have an earthly or a heavenly king.
As I think of what we should learn from Judges (I can't even come close to making a good list in a blog) I will give you my best short summary.  First, it is clear that good leaders are hard to find.  Gideon has barely the faith of a mustard seed ... Samson is a womanizer ... some of you would add Deborah because she was a woman (I think she may have been one of the Judges that showed faithfulness) ... Abimelech was a murderer ... you get the point.  But before you chastise God, look at our track record in selecting leaders.  Good leaders seem to be very hard to find as we find ourselves going to the voting booth and holding our nose.
Second, God's people then and now seem very forgetful.  They repeated behavior that brought trouble and oppression and we seem to do the same.  We think we can do life "as we see fit" and deny God's power and kingdom in our lives.  Then we get upset when things don't go well.  Somewhere in Scripture it is said that the hearts of kings are like streams of water in the hands of God.  The idea is that God has power and is more at work in the events of the world that we would like to think.  The point is, God cares how we lead our families, our governments and our affairs.  God isn't passive if we, by our idolatry and sin, bring calamity upon ourselves.  His pattern is one that calls us back. If oppression, slavery, loss of our position in the world and loss of the witness of the Church bring us to the brink so we call out to God, so be it.  Don't think God hasn't (by example after example in His Word) told us what would happen.  Finally, I believe there is a message here for parents.  We, as parents and teachers, are always teaching by our actions.  We teach our children about what we think of God as we make daily life choices.  When we give God no power in our lives, why should we expect our children to "know" Him?  My call to the people of Good News is to read the history and the lessons of Judges.  Then ... if you really believe ... let there be a King over the kingdom in which you choose to live.  Tell them and show them that Jesus has power in your life.  Pastor Randy