The Ox Goad

When I was actively involved in the ministry of the Haggai Alumni Association, Chennai, God gave me opportunities to listen to amazing speakers.  One such speaker was Mr. Anand Pillai, who was then in a top management position with HCL Technologies.  He taught leadership in Haggai seminars.  He often said whatever we have, our position, possessions, and our talents are to be used always as a platform to proclaim Christ!  It is a lesson for every believer, and it has stuck with me till today! 

The Bible tells us about Shamgar, the third Judge in Israel in Judges 3:31.  Only one verse is devoted to telling us about him, but there is a lesson for us in that one verse.   The Bible does not tell us that he judged Israel but that he delivered Israel from the Philistines with just an ox goad that was in his hand.  An ox goad is a stick about 8 feet long, one end of which was sharp for poking the ox, while the other end was like a chisel for scraping the plow clean of dirt.  When Shamgar was working with his ox goad, the Philistines must have attacked, and he used what was in his hand to kill six hundred Philistines!  After that, the Philistines did not trouble the Israelites for many years!  Shamgar is an excellent example of serving God. Shamgar used what God put in his hand – in his case, an ox goad. There was nothing spectacular about an ox goad. But God can use and wants to use whatever is in our hands. Shamgar was merely a farmhand doing his job, but he took what was in his hand when prompted by God, and he rescued the people of God from their enemies.  Whatever we have has been given to us by God to fulfill His purpose for our lives.  All of us do not have the same measure of everything, but whatever we have can be used by God if we make it available to God!  

My friend, we cannot give excuses that we are not talented like some people.  We may not be great speakers or singers.  We may not be learned Bible teachers.  When we willingly use what we have, God will anoint us and accomplish great things even through us. In this New Year, let us decide to use all our talents and abilities to glorify God alone!

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