Keep It Simple!

23 May Keep It Simple!

Read Judges 3:31 (NLT)
Thought for the Day: Serving God leaves the best legacy!

When was the last time you thought about the sort of legacy you will leave when you are gone? For some of us, we are extremely mindful of the legacies our actions are leaving. For others, legacy is an afterthought. But, whether we acknowledge it or not, all of us are in the process of leaving behind legacies. Our words and actions today will contribute to when and how others will tell our stories.

The Old Testament Book of Judges is all about legacy. In fact, if you aren’t familiar with it, it may be helpful to summarize it as: “The failure of Israel after Joshua’s conquest of The Promised Land”. In Judges, we learn of leaders like Abimelech who had his 70 half-brothers killed so he could become king, Jephthah who made the most foolish and tragic vow of all time, and Samson… of Samson and Delilah infamy. But while Judges reminds us of the consequences of letting our worst traits take hold of us, we also meet a few faithful leaders like Shamgar. Unlike others, very little is recorded about Shamgar. In fact, only one verse records his story. At first glance, Shamgar seems forgettable.

However, in his life, Shamgar learned the importance of keeping it simple. His entire story can be summed up in six powerful words: “Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel.” In short, Shamgar served God faithfully.

Are we happy with the legacies we are leaving? For Shamgar, trusting God and doing the next right thing was enough. Are we willing to do the same? Or – are we too caught up in our own need to prove something like Abimelech, Jephthah, and Samson? Today, let’s learn the lesson of Shamgar and simply let serving God be our legacy!

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David