Buzz Like A Bee

After the Book of Joshua comes the Book of Judges.  This was a chaotic period in Israel’s history.  The various tribes were often operating independently of each other.  God raised up Judges to restore order.  The Book of Judges tells of these twelve heroes.  An interesting side note, the Book of Ruth fits in this time as well.

Biblical Scholar Alert!!!  I learned this from Jeff Cavins’ Bible Timeline.  This book highlights the cycle of sin that Israel constantly fell into.  I’m afraid we do too.  It starts with a SIN.  Eventually we become addicted to the sin and experience SERVITUDE.  This causes us to plea for help.  This is a period of SUPPLICATION.  Often times God delivers us from sin and offers SALVATION.  Unfortunately, most times, our response to God is SILENCE.  This silence leads us back to sin and the cycle begins again.  Thanks, Jeff, for showing me this.

Israel was deeply entrenched in this cycle of sin when this week’s friend appears.  She is Deborah, a prophetess.  Deborah’s name means “buzzing bee” and was she ever.  Read Judges 4:3-5.  She judged Israel which highlights her issue, reliability.  The people knew they would find her under her palm tree and that she would solve their problems.  I think every mom should have her own palm tree.  Don’t you?

Anyway, Deborah delivers the enemy’s army into Israel’s hands.  How is that for reliable?  I love what she says to the leader of Israel’s army in verse 9.  Talk about the power of a woman!  This seems timely for us considering the Vatican’s discontent with American nuns.  Whether you agree with it of not, you can’t deny the power of women.  Deborah clearly knew this.

The enemy’s leader runs away like a coward and hides in the tent of a woman named Jael. Read verses 19-22.  Deborah’s prediction was correct.  A woman brought down the enemy.  Jael might get the glory but Deborah was the brains behind the operation.  Chapter 5 of Judges records the Canticle of Deborah and it is worth a look.

Deborah’s issue was reliability.  The dictionary describes reliability as “fit to be relied on, dependable, worthy of trust, responsible, constant, bedrock, impeccable, unquestionable.”

This is how we should be both at work and in our relationships.  The people relied on Deborah.  There are people who rely on you.  This week examine how reliable you are.  Ask yourself the following questions:

Do people rely on me?

Am I dependable?

Have I earned people’s trust?

Am I constant in my work and relationships?

How can I become more reliable?

What can I learn from Deborah?