BIgger Isn't Always Better

Judges 7
At the end of Chapter 6, Gideon sent messengers throughout Mannesseh to announce that volunteers were needed to battle against the armies of Midian. As some 32,000 men began to gather beside the well of Harod, God comes to Gideon and informed him that there were to many people (v.2). Can you imagine having too many volunteers? This is a problem we usually never run into. However, the problem wasn’t necessarily that there were to many people, but that God knew the wickedness of man’s heart. If they conquered the Midianites, they would believe they did it in their own strength because of their numbers (v.2). God wanted to make sure Israel and Gideon understood that their deliverance would not come because of Israel’s military might, but it would come by the power of Almighty God. God begins to widdle away at the army until only 300 men were left. Now there was a group that God could use, not because they were the 300 best men in Israel. These men weren’t realistically the strongest men. Their intellect would not have surpassed the others that had went home. Even their experience could have been questioned, but what could not be questioned is how God would use just 300 men, instead of 32,000, to win a great victory.

I know many times, I am tempted to believe that bigger is better, but this isn't always true. That nothing can be accomplished until we have more. While I do believe we should always be moving forward, and I also believe that Bible-believing, New Testament, Local Churches should be fulfilling the Great Commission on a regular basis, the truth remains that God does not need big to accomplish his purpose. In fact, more times than not, God chooses to use small instead of big, because he knows that humans would put confidence in themselves instead of him.

1 Corinthians 1:25-31- Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

You see, God chooses to use insignificant vessels to do his work. Someone with a big head cannot be used by God because they take the glory for themselves. God will reward you for your faithful service, but he will never share his glory with another.

Isaiah 43:8-I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. If God will not share glory with a false god, he will not share it with us either. Not because he is selfish, but because we truly have nothing to glory about except Jesus Christ.

God doesn’t need big, God needs willing hearts that will live by simple faith and obedience to his Word. No matter how small you may feel in this world, no matter how insignificant you feel your local church is, remember that God can accomplish his will through any person and/or church that will give God the glory and walk by faith in obedience to his Word.

Zechariah 4:6-Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.