Discover His heart: He uses both our strengths and our weaknesses to accomplish His purpose
What do Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton and Phyllis Benigas have in common? No, I am not announcing my run for the White House. Included in this group as well are Winston Churchill, Benjamin Netanyahu, Aristotle, Michelangelo, Leonardo DaVinci, Mark Twain, H.G. Wells, Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Sir Paul McCartney, Mozart and Beethoven. The answer: All in this unique collection of individuals are left-handed. I’m just sayin’.
When my left-hand dominance became noticeable to my neighbor, a retired school teacher, she cautioned my mother to change this immediately by forcing me to use my right hand. She claimed I would grow up to be mentally retarded. I’ve done my best to prove her wrong.
However, growing up a lefty in a right-handed world is a challenge from birth. Scissors, spiral notebooks, watches, cameras, fishing reels – just a fraction of a long list – are all designed for right-handed individuals who make up 90% of the world’s population. Perhaps the drive to overcome and prevail over these daily challenges in life helped this impressive group of individuals, humbly removing myself, to accomplish much in life. Regardless, they allowed the traits and characteristics God had given them to affect their world.
@ Judges 3
“Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil… But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing.” (12,15-16) Ehud, the left-handed assassin!
The king’s bodyguard would not expect a weapon on Ehud’s right side because customarily a right-handed person would cross the body and draw from the left side. Ehud was allowed to enter the king’s room, catch him in what we might call a disadvantaged position and kill him. Most ironic is that Ehud was from the tribe of Benjamin which means son of my right hand. Sometimes scripture just makes me smile. Ehud went on to kill 10,000 Moab enemies and rule over 80 years of peace and faithfulness in Israel.
We may not be knife-plunging, sword-drawing warriors, but we can be inspired by Ehud’s story. The very characteristic, trait or deficiency in our lives that hinders us the most is often our most effective tool in God’s hand when we surrender it to Him. Moses’ speech impediment, Paul’s thorn in the flesh and Peter’s impetuous nature advanced the Kingdom of God beyond their wildest imaginations because they learned to yield their insufficiencies to the Lord. God made us just the way we are to achieve His purposes for us, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)
Moving Forward: I surrender to Him today my inadequacies, my lack and anything that causes a struggle in my life. Who knows how He will use them for His purposes!
Tomorrow @ Psalm 15-17
Phyllis Benigas 