OK, this idea is not new and original from me. I got it from a book by Max Lucado. It's called Facing Your Giants. I read it a while back and it impressed me. Max is a great inspirational writer. I've had my giants that I've had to face. I don't see how anyone can face giants in our lives without God. I recently faced one and overcame, with the help of this book, and God.
America is facing a Giant right now. This battle has raged for a year. There are many combatants and we're starting to grow weary from the battle. I see it in many faces. I hear it in the chat rooms. I feel it in the stress of the key boards. I've heard analogies of geese: the lead goose lags behind and another takes over for a while and lets the leader rest in the slip stream for a while.
Sometimes it goes beyond that. Sometimes there's a Brook Besor and there comes a point of exhaustion you can't go beyond. Sometimes the battle is raging on and you have rested and can pick up, but sometimes the battle will end before you have rested. Let me tell you the story of Brook Besor.
I'm going to tell it in my words, not Max's. David had been anointed king, but he wasn't actually in place as king. God knew he was king. But Saul wasn't ready to give up being king just yet. David only had 600 soldiers with him. David was doing his part and fighting the Philistines. He was also having to protect himself against the man who was currently king, Saul. David had led 600 men into battle and left the women and children at home. While he was away, the Amalekites swept in raided the village and looted it and took all the women and children hostage. Everyone blamed David because he took the men off to fight the Philistines. They took up arms to kill David. But he convinced them that if they gave chase, they could catch them and get their families back.
Well, they get as far as Brook Besor. When they get to the brook, 200 decided that the brook is just too enticing and they give up. How tired do you have to be when the refreshing water out-weighs the fact that someone kidnapped your family? How long do you have to fight until resting out-weighs going on? Did they not love their family?
David didn't judge, he took the other 400 and went on. The 400 rescued the wives and children. Can you see the reunion? The wives start looking for their husbands. They find a friend and ask, and hear, "Uh, no, he's back at Brook Besor, cooling his toes in the water." "Oh, no, he di-unt!"
But, David didn't allow that. Here's how David handled it: Don't do that after what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and given us the enemy who attacked us. Who will listen to what you say? The share will be the same for the one who stayed with the supplies as for the one who went into battle. All will share alike. (I Samuel 30:23-24 NCV)
He didn't say they were too tired to battle, he gave them dignity and said they chose to stay with the supplies.
Our battle against the tyranny of our day has stretched into over a year. Many have fought valiantly. Many have done their duty. Many are tired. Don't judge them if they lay their swords by the brook momentarily to rest a bit and dip their toes in the cool water. They're either closing their eyes briefly to rejoin should the battle last beyond the time it takes them to rest, or they'll join in our victory dance. Perhaps you are stronger than they, or perhaps they fought harder than you in the beginning, or longer than you. Or maybe they have more going on than you know about. Not everyone has only a few calls to make in their life. Judge not, lest you be judged.
Lori Ann Smith
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