I am different. Why?
Hi!
I am Ehud, son of Gera the Benjamite. I was born during a remarkable time in the history of ancient Israel. At a very young age, I noticed something different about me. When kids of my age predominantly used their right hands during play, I somehow always felt it comfortable and natural to use my left hand. My left hand was as powerful as their right hands. Some mocked me for using my left hand. Some ridiculed. I had also many a time asked this question, "Why God, why did you create me different? You could have created me just like every other person!" I never got a reply to this prayer.
Years passed. I grew up to be a trained fighter. When others used their right hands in the sword training, I used my left. Some mocked. Some ridiculed. They even called me Lefty Ehud. By this time, I had gotten used to these kinds of mocking and ridiculing. I didn’t bother.
My people again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So, the Lord strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab against Israel. Eglon defeated Israel, and we served him for eighteen years.
My people, then, cried out to the Lord. To my surprise, the Lord raised me up as their deliverer. On behalf of my people, I took a tribute to Eglon. I made for myself a sword with two edges and bound it on my right thigh under my clothes. Every other warrior would bind a sword on the left thigh so that they can take it out with their right hand. I have always been different! The king's attendants always check the left thigh of anyone who wanted an audience with the king. They also checked my left thigh for any weapon. Mine was on my right thigh!
After I had presented the tribute, I told them that I had a secret message from God for the king. So the king sent away all his attendants. I went near the king as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. I reached with my left hand, took the sword from my right thigh, and thrust it into the belly of the king. He died. I escaped. I sounded the trumpet, and the people of Israel followed me. The Lord gave our enemies into our hands.
Our land had rest for eighty years!
Do you find yourself different from others? Don’t loose heart; instead, rejoice. God created you for a very specific purpose–a purpose only you can fulfill. What you may consider as your detestable weakness is a thoughtful plan of the Sovereign God. Did He not choose the weak things of the world to shame the mighty?
Uniquely gifted,
Ehud
Judges 3:12-30
This article first appeared in Soul Connect, Volume 5, Issue 1, May 2016.
