Rev. Don Campbell
Judges 8-9
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 2, 2019
“THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES”
In gratitude for Gideon’s success, which was really the Lord’s success, the people offered Gideon the kingship: “‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’ Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you’” (Judges 8:23).
Gideon did make a simple request: “Let every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil” (Judges 8:24). Gideon’s next act would bring trouble to his house and to the nation. He made an ephod and put it in his city. We are not told his intention in doing this, and it does not behoove us to guess. The fact is that “All Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family” (v.27). Whatever Gideon’s intentions, the unintended consequences of his actions were sinful.
I keyed in “Unintended consequences” in my browser and in 66 seconds, I had 24,700,000 hits—and, no, I have not looked at them all. Let me just share one example of an unintended consequence with which we folks in the Southeastern United States are familiar—especially the farmers: Kudzu. It was introduced to the US as an ornamental plant in 1876 and later used to prevent erosion in earthworks. It has displaced many native plants, as once established, it can grow a foot a day.
A Christian couple, he a doctor and she a nurse, living in a southern city filled with Christians, many who had come to the city to be educated at the Christian university. The couple decided that they should move to a part of the country where conservative Christians were not so plentiful. There, their lights could shine among nominal Christians. In less than five years, they were divorced and had left the church. What happened? Perhaps it would have happened anyway had they not moved.
It is also possible that they were honest and their intentions were good, but having grown up in Christian homes, having attended a Christian University, and having served faithfully in their local congregation (he as a deacon), they had little “immunity” to the sin to which they exposed themselves.
Peter probably wished to show his loyalty and support of Jesus when warmed himself by the devil’s fire in the courtyard of the high priest’s house, but the unintended consequence was that he denied Jesus (Luke 22:54-62).
CONNECTIONS
1. Over the years I have counseled with many people who had become involved in an adulterous relationship. I cannot recall a single time in which the person said, “I set out to sin and to destroy my family.” It is always, “We did not intend for this to happen.” But it did. The Lord willing, on Friday we will examine the unintended consequences of Samson’s playing games with Delilah. Until then think of the unintended consequences of some of your own decisions.
2. Paul wrote: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3, KJV). The Greek word translated “beguile” means to “seduce by leading astray.” He uses the same word in Romans 16:18: “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve” (ESV). Could we say that Satan and his ministers are smooth-talking Romeos?
