“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength’” (Judges 7:2).

Read: Judges 7:1—25.

Over 30,000 people gathered in response to Gideon’s call to fight the Midianites who were raiding their crops. However, the Lord asked Gideon to downsize the army. First, he allowed those who were fearful to go home, 22,000 people took advantage of that offer. But he still wanted to downsize the remaining 10,000 to an insignificant number of three hundred people.

The Lord’s reason for cutting down army to this small size was to prove that he could achieve great things with a minority. That night through a cleverly planned ruse, these untrained, unarmed Israelite farmers thwarted the Midianites from their territory.

Victory in battles is not in the strength that we muster, but in the Lord who is on our side. The people of God had achieved great things, by the power of the Lord. When the tiny community of those who returned from exile were rebuilding the temple, the Lord encouraged them that the huge task will be accomplished by his power: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zech 4:6).

Being a minority is dispiriting. It could be being the only Chris-follower in the family, or having no other Christian colleague in the workplace, or in the neighborhood. But we must remember that our God specializes in achieving great things through a minority though they may be weak.

What we achieve for God is not by the strength of our number but the strength that he apportions to the weak.

Prayer: Lord, please remind me when the fear of loneliness clouds my mind that with you on my side, I can achieve wonderful things.