S is for Shamgar: What’s in Your Hand?

S is for Shamgar: What’s in Your Hand?

During World War II, American soldiers were marching through a French town when an old woman with a broom joined their ranks.  The captain smiled at her and said, “You can’t do much with that broom!”  “No,” She replied, “but I can let people know whose side I’m on.”

Name:  “Stranger” or “Sword”

Date 13the Century BC

Identification: 3^rd judge of Israel, son of Anath from Beth Anath in Naphtali.

Story Line:  Shamgar used an ox goad as a weapon, killing 600 Philistines.

Read it in the Bible:  Judges 1:27-36; 3:31; 5:1-7.

Some of God’s best servants were not His best qualified or equipped.  But they were His most willing.

Shamgar was such a servant.

We know little or nothing about Shamgar except that God used him to stop Philistine incursions into Israel’s towns.  Shamgar put an end to Philistine oppression by using the only weapon he had—an ox  goad.

A goad was a stick about eight feet long, tapered at one end.  The slimmer end was sharpened and used for prodding the cattle.  On the other end may have been a small iron wedge-shaped tip farmers used to remove the clay that stuck to the blade of their plough.  And ox goad wasn’t very sophisticated weapon of war, but when wielded by a strong arm, it became a dangerous weapon.  Shamgar used his ox  goad to kill 600 philistines.

It’s important that we obtain as much education as we can, gain as much skill as we can, and get as much experience as we can, but God is pleased to use anyone who will give whatever he or she has to serve Him. 

So what do you have?  A  Computer?  Language skills? Medical experience? A Hammer? Effective service for God doesn’t mean you have to possess the latest equipment, but it does mean you have to possess a willing heart.  God can use whatever you give Him.   

                   —Dr, Woodrow Kroll 

Source: 

Confident Living Magazine

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