Pastor John’s Blog

What if your contribution to this world were captured in two short sentences? How would you like those sentences to read? Answer that question and you will have a good idea as to what changes to make now in order to get there. To help you decide how those two sentences should read I turn to a man named Shamgar whose entire life is presented in only one verse in the Bible, Judges 3:31. It reads, “After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.” The first sentence describes Shamgar’s success as a judge in effectively delivering the Israelites from Philistine servitude, a punishment brought about by their penchant to serve false gods. His rescuing them infers continued success in keeping them free from servitude and on the right path throughout his lifetime.

The second sentence describes one of Shamgar’s exploits. An ox goad was a weapon that looked like a spear having a point on one end and a flattened piece of metal on the other. To be able to kill 600 Philistine soldiers with such a weapon bespeaks dexterity and great prowess, a skill that God used to deliver Israel through Shamgar. This is the stuff of legends! So even if other judges have more verses in the Bible dedicated to their exploits, some even chapters, this one verse captures the fulfillment of Shamgar’s life’s mission. This brings me back to the question I posed earlier. Wouldn’t it be great if at least one of those two sentences described how you led others to freedom in Christ and influenced them to remain on God’s path? The other could be dedicated to describe the one thing that you were great at! To influence people to follow Christ and to be known for doing one thing really well would be a great epithet! I encourage you to take a moment to pray and ask God for guidance concerning the life mission that he has planned for you. May your two sentences be read one day before God and bring a smile to your face.