When we were young our parents, teachers, employers, and others encouraged us to “dream big”. Now we are all grown up and many times we don’t feel like we’ve achieved much if it’s not a whopper of an accomplishment. We might even feel like we’ve failed if we didn’t meet our own expectations or the high expectations of others.
On the other hand, it is ironically providential that God has a way of making big things come from small, seemingly insignificant people, places and things. For example, Gideon tells the Lord that he is the youngest in his family and his family is the least in the tribe of Manasseh – how can he accomplish anything? Not only does God bring victory through Gideon, He reduces the number of fighting men tremendously – and they still defeat the enemy! God did that to show that the power is in Him, NOT man. What about the greatest king Israel ever had?! Before becoming king David was just a little guy – he can’t become king – surely God through Samuel is referring to one of the bigger brothers, right? Nope! God looks not at the outward appearance like men do – God looks at the heart (I Samuel 16).
So we think we are not that significant AND what we do is not significant but God has a way of accomplishing great things from our little dreams. Remember the parable of the mustard seed? Jesus said, “…The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).
So we might think spending time teaching our children about Jesus isn’t that big of a deal – then the boy or girl grows up and becomes a missionary in a foreign country and God uses them to save 1,000’s. We dream small about teaching bible class and some of a young man becomes a mature Christian and serves as an elder. We teach a children’s bible class (such a small thing) and a 2-3 of the little girls grow up to be bible class teachers themselves – based on your influence and example. You contact a Christian who is hurting physically or spiritually, and as a result of you making a small sacrifice to visit them, their outlook on life completely changes. You see it’s those small dreams that lead to big things. God has an amazing way doesn’t He?
Read Judges 7 and listen to Dream Small by Josh Wilson. Then dream small today and for the rest of your time on earth as you allow God to use you to bless others. WARNING-HAVE A TISSUE HANDY!
Judges 7
Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”
So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.