Grasshoppers and Giants

Image credit: Pixabay.com (2017), CC0/PD[/caption]

We cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us. (Numbers 13:31)

I was reading the story of the Israelites in the Book of Numbers, and it seemed like such an ancient, un-relatable story at first. I picked up a commentary on this particular section and it talked about the Israelites scoping out their new land and finding the Anakim who were known as a race of giants. (Best guess is that they were somewhere around 9 feet tall. One of the most famous of this tribe which were defeated and scattered was none other than Goliath of "David and Goliath" fame.) The Israelites told Moses they must seem like mere grasshoppers compared to them. That image stuck in my head! Take a minute and just imagine a giant and a grasshopper standing side by side … pretty lopsided image, isn’t it? Things get really spooky when we think about ourselves being that grasshopper standing next to a 9-foot-tall person who could squish us. It sort of makes you shake in your boots a little, doesn’t it? All of this vivid imagining led me to wonder about the times and situations that make me feel exactly like that grasshopper next to the giant. Sometimes the giant is finances or poor health or a mountain of laundry flanked by piles of paperwork. Sometimes it’s loneliness or infertility or a troubled relationship. Giants come in many forms, for sure! The Israelite grasshoppers were terrified and overwhelmed at the thought of facing down something as big and powerful as a giant. Many of them were ready to turn tail and run because they just couldn’t fathom a way out of the situation. I can honestly say I have shared their hopelessness. When I’m tired and the list of tasks and responsibilities is far beyond what little is left in my tank, it’s tempting to want to run off screaming! The grasshoppers faced the giants, though. They might have felt silly and unprepared and unequipped, but they charged into battle. They might have felt overwhelmed and outnumbered, but they went after it head down full steam ahead. The image of grasshoppers leaping toward a giant seems funny at best. I can imagine a cartoon giant simply swatting those grasshoppers away with the flick of a wrist. That image doesn’t provide much hope and courage either, but that’s because we’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter how “grasshopperish” we feel and it doesn’t matter how fierce and mighty the giants of our day are; the answer lies beyond the grasshopper and the giant. The Israelites didn’t drive the giants off because of their own power or brilliance or skill, they triumphed not because of WHO they were but because of WHOSE they were. As we face the giants in our path, we need to arm ourselves with the truth of WHOSE we are. There is no giant that can match the power, strength, and wisdom of the God who created us in his image. He will fight for us, he will rescue us and he will strengthen us for any battle. In case you have been feeling a little “grasshopperish” lately, maybe this will help you tackle your giants. A Seed To Plant: Make a list of the giants making you feel like a grasshopper and ask the Lord to show you how to conquer each one of them. Blessings on your day!