Today's Eagle's Wings: Sunday, September 07, 2008

For some reason or other, the tribe of Benjamin produced a remarkable number of left-handed men (Judg. 20:16). Ehud, the slayer of the Moabite king Eglon, was left-handed. In fact, he may have been left-handed because of some deformity or weakness in his right hand. The Hebrew text simply states that he was shut of his right hand. Were it not for the fact that the same description is given of the seven hundred Benjamite warriors in chapter 20, we might suspect that Ehud had a crippled right hand. Probably it means simply that through disuse and a natural tendency to use his other hand, his right hand was weak and unskilful. At any rate, Ehud was shut of his right hand. It was an impediment and surely a real drawback for a man of war. But Ehud made up for his deficiency by his increased skill with his other hand.

Too often we use what we are not, or what we cannot do, as an excuse for doing nothing. If I had this talent or that ability, I would certainly serve the Lord. Such thinking is hypocritical. It is a dishonest excuse to avoid our present responsibility. We do not need to be supermen in order to serve God. Throughout the book of Judges we have examples of the Lord making weak things His instruments to defeat His enemies. The same is true in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus Christ chose unlearned and ignorant men to be His disciples. However, they had the essential qualification of every good servant: they had been with Jesus.

Christian servicedoing something worthwhile in the cause of Christis open to all who walk in fellowship with the Lord. Instead of making your limitations an excuse for idleness, use the ability and opportunity God gives you and look to Him to bless your service for His glory.