Obedience Is More Important Than Talent

After Deborah and Barak were empowered by God to deliver Israel, there was a forty year period where Israel was at peace.  Gradually they forgot what it was like when they didn’t serve God, and as the older people died off, they younger generations became more interested in the religions around them.   Invasions by the Midianites and Amalekites finally caused the people to turn back to God for help.  When they began to pray, God sent a prophet to remind them of the contract with God. 

God also selected Gideon to set them free, in Judges 6:11-14.  “And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”

When the angel told him the Lord was with him, Gideon questioned how that could be true.  After all, he was hiding what he was doing from the Midianites to keep them from stealing his food and leaving his family to starve.  If God was with them, why was it so hard to survive?  While he knew what God had done in the past it seemed like he had deserted them.  God said that if they would go in the same way they had gone to escape Egypt and take the land, he would be able to defeat the Midianites, because they would have God’s power behind them. 

Gideon realized neither he nor his family had experience or a reputation that would prepare him for solving Israel’s problems.  God said he would take care of that problem, in Judges 6:15-16.  “And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

Our world puts a great deal of emphasis on talent and skill.  Unfortunately, some of the most talented and skilled fail at their professions.  Colin Kapernick provides a powerful example.  He has extreme talent and skill as a quarterback, but was dropped after a couple of seasons, and no other teams have been willing to hire him.  Kapernick, and the media has blamed this on raceism.  Actually he was fired because he insisted on doing things his own way, rather than working with the coach.  Sitting on the sidelines, the coach is able to observe things that the quarterback can’t see and call for changes that are needed.  A quarterback who refuses to adjust his playing to meet the situations makes it much harder to win.   When a person gets the idea that their opinion or idea is the only thing that matters and begins to ignore those who have experience about a situation, they can cause much damage, whether in government, in business, in the church, or in a family.  Frequently people who look only at their talents and skills do not realize the harm such a person may do. 

Even a person with minimal talent can learn to perform a job well, so to coaches or owners, the willingness to work with the coach and team is more important than innate talent or skill.  As a result, God seldom chooses those who seem the most confident or skilled to do his work, as I Corinthians 1:26-31 tells us.  “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.”

The Patriots did not winn the super bowl just on Tom Brady’s skill and talent.   Because he was willing to work with his coach, the coach was able to bring together an entire team to win.  In the same way, God chooses a man who will follow instructions and work with others to accomplish God’s purpose.  Many times those with the most talent are like Colin Kapernick and, in their pride and self-confidence hinder God’s purposes.  If we are to please and honor God, we must be willing to humble ourselves and follow his instruction.