{"id":55307,"date":"2019-05-12T15:10:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-12T12:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=55307"},"modified":"2022-12-04T18:11:34","modified_gmt":"2022-12-04T16:11:34","slug":"leading-from-below-gideon-the-poorest-of-the-poor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/leading-from-below-gideon-the-poorest-of-the-poor\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading From Below: Gideon, The Poorest Of The Poor"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[402,440],"acf":{"old_id":"55307","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":54871,"related_cahpter":"217","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"But, when God chooses a leader, status is of no consequence","content":"

During the Midianite oppression of the nation, God hears the people\u2019s cries and decides to pick a savior. He selects Gideon as the next Judge to lead the people to victory. However, instead of accepting, Gideon answers “how can I deliver Israel? Why, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father\u2019s household.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

While questioning God\u2019s appointment is shocking, this is not a first time occurrence. In fact, this is a popular biblical paradigm, that appears in two other stories of Biblical leaders: Moses and Jeremiah. When God appointed Moses to be the leader during the exodus and through the desert, he responds \u201cI have never been a man of words\u201d (Exodus 4). \u00a0Similarly, God appears to Jeremiah to consecrate him but Jeremiah responds, \u201cAh, Lord GOD! I don\u2019t know how to speak\u201d (Jeremiah 1). Both of these prophets worry about their personal capabilities, specifically their talents as orators which would deem them capable (or incapable) of their job. However Gideon\u2019s reasoning differs from the two other leaders. He is not at all concerned with his own skills, but how his family is perceived in relation to the rest of his tribe: \u201cmy clan is the poorest in Manasseh\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

While declining God\u2019s choice isn\u2019t a novel concept, Gideon\u2019s reasoning is shocking. \u00a0Even though Gideon was chosen by God and nowhere in this chapter does the Bible say Gideon was unqualified for the position, he deems himself unworthy and incapable. In the eyes of the nation, he cannot be fit serve because of his family\u2019s status. Unlike the two previous prophets who are concerned about speech, something remediable, Gideon worries about his own status, which is permanent. By focusing on an unmodifiable characteristic (not a talent), Gideon seems to express that being a qualified leader is inherently connected to status rather than aptitude for the job. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, when God chooses a leader, status is of no consequence. This is best demonstrated when God appoints David, the youngest son of a humble family, as the next king over Israel. Even though he isn\u2019t \u201chigh status\u201d, he becomes the most important king, as the Messiah descends from his line. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a society, we should work towards considering leaders\u2019 qualifications, not status. Like David and Gideon, great leaders can indeed come from the humblest of backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

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