Some appointments to umpire are more significant than others. A judge is, by definition, a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court. The court is not confined inside the narrow fence of a courtroom but expands our view to look “outside the fence” and know we’ve all been judges at some point.
Parents may govern their children and teach them how to love, navigate, and cultivate life skills in our households. For kids, the judge may be the leader of their friends who makes decisions for the games they play. In corporate America, the judge may be the CEO, who makes decisions for the company’s greater good.
In ancient times, there was a book written called “Judges.” This action-packed movie contains stories of judges who had “called appointments” to make decisions and lead the Israelites out of enemy control.
In the Book of Judges, the universal law of “cause & effect” is in constant motion.
Cause: People of Israel did the “correct” things for a certain period.
Effect: Life seemed to flow normally.
Cause: People of Israel began to waver and fall into sin.
Effect: God became upset and allowed them to be enslaved by an enemy.
Cause: The perceived enemy ruled over the people of Israel as punishment for disobedience.
Effect: People of Israel called God for help.
Cause: God heard the cries and prayers.
Effect: God appointed a “Judge” amongst the people of Israel to defeat the enemy and set them free.
Cause: A battle for free reign happens.
Effect: People of Israel were set free.
This drama occurred over and over. Can we see the same cause-and-effect cadence in our lives today portrayed in Judges?
Do we illustrate a cause-and-effect relationship with the God we serve? Do we need to strive to live with the right intentions? Do we always stay on the right path?
If we intend to go right but instead go left, it is because we planned to go right. We may or may not be conscious of our intentions, but we would NOT have gone left without it.
Are women good judges? Can a woman have a calling to judge, lead, fight, and conspire to save her family or country, for that matter?
In JUDGES: 4: 1-23, the story illustrates the “WOMAN PROPHET named DEBORAH,” who was appointed “Judge” to help rescue the people of Israel from under a “ruthless oppressor” reigning over them. The text reads that Deborah was also a wife during her appointed calling to judge and spearhead this mission.
The story illustrated when this Deborah was called to JUDGE, she took action and led with her consciousness of spirit, and brought forward the intention to lead the Israelites into war and win. The “conspiracy” lies within how she constructed her strategy to draw the enemy out onto the battleground where she felt there would lay an advantage to victory.
She orchestrated an Army of 10,000 soldiers, appointed a military general to carry out her orders, and gave specific instructions on how the Israelites would be victorious and regain their freedom.
Before going into battle, her appointed military general stated he would lead the charge, but only if she was beside him in action. She replied she would go but apprised him to beware that if she accompanied him, the victory might not be honored because he would fight it with a woman. Her next move was calculated as Shakespeare’s manuscripts.
I found this relationship beautiful because although Deborah considered her general competent, he lacked the required sentiment necessary to carry out the plan. I found humbleness in his lack of faith and willingness to admit his faults and ask her for help on the battlefield. He wasn’t concerned with how it would look; he just wanted to triumph.
How have we set the stage before going into battle? How strategic are we when appointing and trusting people around us to carry out stratagem in our lives to achieve victory? Victory is in surrendering. Success is in drawing nearer higher power.
In Judges, Chapter 4, Deborah had a friend named Jael, a ride-or-die companion. During the battle, the enemy’s leader fled from the war to a nearby village to escape death. He strategically picked this place because the story tells us his family was on good terms with the people there, or so he thought.
Deborah’s friend saw the enemy leader approach, and she went out to meet him. She invited him into her tent, and he was grateful due to being worn out from fighting. He instructed the lady to bring him water, but she gave him “milk.” He later ordered Jael to say she hadn’t seen him if anyone came looking for him. She played along with him and catered to his demands. She quietly picked up a hammer and peg when he fell asleep from exhaustion and drove the peg through his head to kill him!
The next day, the Israelite army general came looking for the enemy’s leader, who had escaped. Jael, who committed the murder, didn’t run out to brag and boast about her actions. She had no desire to display external power because her actions spoke loudly. Jael said to follow her, and she gracefully showed the Israelite general the dead body of the man he was looking for.
These two women in Judges provide a Biblical example that women can effectively lead. Sometimes, women may have to step up and be a DEBORAH based on particular situations. Sometimes women have to step into a fight to conquer the enemy. Sometimes a woman may be called to orchestrate a plan that leads a family or nation to victory, as did Deborah and Jael.
In most situations, men do things for a woman or because of women. Behind great leaders usually lie spectacular women. Think of women in your family (mom, wife, significant other) or in your circle of friends that are single or married; great mothers lead their families, fight tooth and nail, and succeed at all costs, without fail.
To all the men that read this post, if you have an exceptional woman who stands beside you, let her know how much you appreciate her. I would not be as advanced on my journey without my wife and mother. This message of Deborah, a judge, and military leader, is for the forward-thinking men of our generation. We will win insurmountable battles as we humble ourselves and surrender to our spiritually-tuned women. Our strength will be renewed. We will win impossible battles, run and fight, but stay energized. After all, we desire to win. So it is imperative to recognize and surrender to the consciousness of the spirit of our walking, living, modern-day DEBORAHS. Let’s Honor them!