December 16 “Hope from Unlikely Heroes”

How many of you have watched the movie “Hoosiers?” It is about a small school in Indiana (equivalent to a class D school in Michigan) that wins the state basketball championship.  Keep in mind, for years Indiana had one champion, there were not four champions based on school size like Michigan.  There was not a lot of hope for little schools until Milan High School (the real Hickory Hoosiers) won it all, defeating the much larger Muncie Central.  The coach did everything he could to convince them that everything was the same; the height of the basket, the length of the free throw line, etc. Then before the game started the local pastor read the story of David and Goliath, hoping to provide the boys encouragement and hope.

Do we ever feel like an underdog in life?  Do we ever get the feeling that we are not equipped to do something or others have given up because they don’t see us as equipped?

The Bible is loaded with these types of stories and people; unlikely heroes God uses.  One only has to look David, Ruth, Joseph, Moses, Noah, Abraham, and one of my favorites, Gideon. We know and see them after the big win, but we rarely remember them before.  God chooses and uses people the world often looks past.

So, let’s look at Gideon.  When the Lord called him to save Israel, Gideon replied: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:14-15)  No one expected much of him, sounds just like David whose father didn’t even bring him into the house for the prophet Samuel to consider to anoint as king.

Gideon is the least, not just the runt of the litter, but the runt of the least litter.  When God promised to be with Gideon, Gideon still wanted proof from God (read Judges 6 & 7) before he would step out in faith.  At this point one can’t help but wonder what God saw in Gideon; the only response I can give is the same thing God sees in us, FAITH!

God sees what we too often don’t see, both in ourselves and others.  God has great hope in us, even when we don’t have confidence in ourselves. 

Last week in worship we lit the candle of HOPE.  Let us look at all these unlikely Biblical heroes and know that there is great HOPE for us when we humbly and courageously and even cautiously follow Him. 

Prayer: Father, through Your Holy Spirit living in us, show us the way of Hope.  Encourage us, empower us with Your strength.  As we read stories about Gideon, Ruth, David, Moses, and others; take us back to when they were not confident so we can see how You worked in them. Give us hope Father to see ourselves and others as You see us, heroes You want to use.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.