✝️ Mighty Warrior? How God makes heroes out of zeros

Good morning, my brothers! Society expects men to lead, but most of us don’t feel competent to lead. Some call it "imposter syndrome" and this inadequacy spills into our spiritual lives, inhibiting us from responding to God's call to serve. Today, we'll study Gideon, an Old Testament hero who started as a self-perceived zero. When the angel greeted him as “mighty warrior,” Gideon replied, “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest and I am the least in my family.” Let’s discover how God transforms inadequacy into victory. Let’s go!

This week’s manly topics (5-min read):

🌲 GROWTH Today we learn the truth that inspired the old Mennonite hymn, “Not to the strong is the battle, not to the swift is the race … but to the true and the faithful, victory is promised by grace.”
📰  NEWS Terrified your toned muscle will turn to flab if you take a vacation? We’ve got some good news for you.
🗓️ SAVE-THE-DATE We’ve schedule our second MTM fraternity digital campfire and we want to see you there! See below for details about June 12 event that will answer the difficult questions of life … and maybe one of yours.

GROWTH
Your inadequacy is God’s opportunity

Have you ever been with a group of Christian men and felt like you didn’t quite belong? That nagging sense that others are more qualified, more gifted, more important to the work of Christ than you?

My brothers, we’ve all felt this burden of inadequacy. I feel it all too frequently. We see other men confidently leading Bible studies, gracefully serving the needy, or boldly evangelizing. And we quietly retreat, believing the lie that we have nothing valuable to contribute.

This feeling of insignificance reminds me of a man in Scripture who was literally hiding when God called him. In Judges 6, we find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress … an unusual location chosen out of fear of the Midianites who had been raiding Israel’s crops. Threshing was typically done on hilltops where wind could separate wheat from chaff, but Gideon was concealing himself in this pit when the angel of the Lord appeared with an unexpected greeting:

“The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Gideon’s response echoes what many of us feel when God calls us to something that seems beyond our capabilities:

This gap between how God sees us and how we see ourselves isn’t just discouraging: it paralyzes and prevents us from responding to God’s call. It keeps us from stepping into our God-given roles in the body of Christ.

The Biblical Truth: No Spare Parts

As I type this, I have a large brace on my left arm. I recently tore my bicep and had surgery to repair it (wish I had a great story as to how it happened, but I was just moving furniture). I have limited mobility in that arm, and everyday tasks that should be automatic and easy aren't right now. I’ve been humbly reminded how important each part of my body is to me functioning as God intended. All parts are needed, and all are critical.

This truth is unmistakable in Scripture as well: there are no spare parts in Christ’s body. Paul addresses this directly in 1 Corinthians 12, using the human body as a powerful metaphor for the church:

This imagery cuts straight through our excuses. Your role may differ from others, but it’s no less crucial to the functioning of the body of Christ.

From Winepress to Battlefield: Gideon’s Transformation

What strikes me about Gideon’s story is how patient God was with his process. After the initial call, Gideon didn’t immediately transform from a fearful thresher to a mighty commander.

He first sought confirmation through the sign of the fleece (not once, but twice). These weren’t just acts of doubt; they were steps in a man coming to terms with an identity he couldn’t yet see in himself.

Then came perhaps the strangest military strategy ever recorded: reducing an army from 32,000 to just 300 men. Why? God told 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.’”

This wasn’t just battle tactics; God was revealing His method for using Gideon (and you and me) to accomplish His will. He taught Gideon that his strength was never the point. Divine power works best through human weakness.

By the time Gideon was dividing his tiny band into three companies with trumpets and empty jars, he had transformed from a man hiding in fear to a leader boldly declaring, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”

Breaking Down the Lies That Hold Us Back

Like Gideon, we often believe lies about ourselves that contradict God’s truth. Let's confront the specific lies that keep us from embracing our place in the body:

1. “I don't have anything special to offer.”

This mindset directly contradicts Romans 12:6: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them." God has deliberately distributed different gifts among believers. Your specific combination of talents, experiences, and personality is intentional and needed.”

2. “Other men are more qualified than me.”

Paul addresses this comparison trap in Romans 12:3: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

The standard isn’t other men. It’s stewardship of what God has specifically entrusted to you.

Remember, God deliberately reduced Gideon's army. He delights in using the unlikely, the underqualified, the overlooked.

3. “My contribution won't make a difference.”

This perspective underestimates how God works through ordinary people. Paul writes:

Often, the quieter, behind-the-scenes contributions have the most significant impact.

Gideon’s army didn’t win through conventional strength but through obedience to an unconventional strategy: breaking jars, holding torches, and blowing trumpets. Your seemingly small contribution, when offered in obedience, may be exactly what God uses to bring victory.

4. “I’m too old. I've done my part already.”

No different than 94-year-old Warren Buffett still actively engaged daily in his business and investments, we are never too old to serve the Lord. Abraham welcomed his son at 100 years young. God has you here for a reason and He wants you to stay engaged. Young men need mentored, prayer warriors are critical to the battles we face.

5. “I’m not ready yet”

While growth and preparation are valuable, this can become a permanent excuse. God looks for availability more than ability. He prepares those He calls to serve.

Gideon wasn’t ready when God called him “mighty warrior.” He became ready by responding to the call.

Discovering Your Place in the Body

So, how do we transform from passive observers to active participants in Christ’s body? Here are practical steps:

1. See Yourself Through God’s Eyes

Notice God didn't address Gideon as he was (fearful, hiding), but as he would become (mighty warrior). God speaks to your potential, not just your present.

Ask God to help you see yourself through His eyes. Meditate on who Scripture says you are in Christ: chosen, appointed, equipped, and empowered.

2. Embrace Your Unique Contribution

Stop comparing your gifts to others. Instead, focus on maximizing what God has given you. As Paul says, “if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation” (Romans 12:7-8).

Your contribution isn’t measured against others but by your faithful stewardship. A hammer doesn’t try to be a screwdriver. It hammers with excellence.

3. Take Ownership of Your Responsibility

Recognize that you actually belong to the other members of the body. Romans 12:5 tells us:

“...so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

This means others are counting on you to fulfill your function. When you hold back, the entire body suffers. Your absence creates a gap no one else can perfectly fill.

4. Start With the Assignment in Front of You

Before Gideon led armies, he tore down his father’s altar to Baal in his own backyard. Sometimes obedience begins in our own households, with the small acts of faithfulness no one else may see.

Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. Begin with small acts of faithfulness. Volunteer for that ministry need. Offer to pray with someone struggling. Send that encouraging text. Use your professional skills to help your church.

As you step out in faith, God will clarify and expand your role. The path becomes clear as you walk it, not before.

The Body Working Together

When every man takes his place in the body, something remarkable happens. Paul describes it this way:

Consider what happens in a healthy human body: different organs, muscles, and systems work in harmony without competing or comparing. Each part simply fulfills its designed function, creating a healthy, functioning whole. Trust me, I can’t wait to get out of my arm brace.

What if Christian men approached our roles this way? What if we stopped cowering, competing, and comparing, and instead embraced our God-given assignments with confidence and joy?

The Transformation God Promises

The Gideon who began the story hiding in a winepress ended it decisively defeating Israel’s oppressors. When the people wanted to make him king, he replied, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

This is the final transformation: from self-doubt to such confidence in God that power holds no temptation.

The Call to Action

Brothers, the body of Christ needs you. Not a different version of you that matches someone else's gifts, but the authentic, God-designed you with your specific combination of abilities, experiences, and calling.

Your contribution isn’t optional. It’s essential. God didn’t make a mistake when He crafted you with your particular set of strengths and weaknesses. He deliberately placed you in His body to fulfill a purpose that no one else can accomplish in quite the same way.

So I challenge you today:

• Reject the lie that you have nothing to offer

• See yourself as God sees you … as a mighty warrior

• Discover and embrace your spiritual gifts

• Start serving faithfully in whatever capacity God has equipped you

Remember that your worth isn’t determined by your visibility, title, or comparison to others. It’s established by God’s deliberate design and calling on your life.

The body of Christ needs every man to fulfill his God-ordained role. What winepress are you hiding in today? What mighty warrior identity is God calling you to embrace?

It’s time to step out in faith. The battle is the Lord’s. The first steps are yours to take.

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