Seek meaning over title
Judges (22) Seek meaning rather than strength (Judges 8:29-35)
<Don't show off your power>
Gideon's story ends badly. Gideon, who relied on God to save Israel from the Midianites, later turns into a leader who drives Israel into idolatry. Because of two big mistakes. One was to make an ephod, a priest's garment, out of stolen gold, to give foolish people an excuse to worship it as an idol. Another is that he had many wives and concubines and sowed the seeds of future tragedy.
After the war with Midian was over, Gideon returned home and had 70 sons by many wives (verses 29-30). That fact suggests that although he refused the throne, he lived almost like a king, showing off his strength and power. He also lived with several concubines. Although God's will was a monogamous system, Israel's top leaders, including Gideon, followed the evil custom of polygamy under the influence of neighboring countries.
In particular, the son he bore to him by a concubine in Shechem was Abimelech (verse 31). One of Gideon's sons is mentioned by name because he later rebelled and nearly wiped out his brother. Also, that Gideon, who lived in Ophrah, had concubines in Shechem means that he lived to show off his power while having concubines in various places. When you have strength, you must not show off your strength to prevent the fall of your faith.
Finally, when Gideon died of old age, the children of Israel made Baal-berit their god and rebelled against God (verses 32-34). Baal-Brit means “Baal of the Covenant” as the Baal god worshiped by the Canaanites in Shechem. This means that Baal worship was so prevalent that Israel eventually forsook the covenant with God and made a covenant with Baal.
< Seek meaning over power >
After Gideon's death, the Israelites forgot God's grace, but they also forgot Gideon's grace and did not show hospitality to Gideon's house (verse 35). No wonder Israel, who has fallen into Baal worship, is not hospitable to the family of Gideon, who earned the nickname Jerub-Baal for destroying the altar of Baal in the past. But look at how those who asked to be kings from generation to generation when Gideon was alive turned away from the family when Gideon died. Such pursuits and pursuits of power and numbers usually end in tragedy.
Don't live a life of treachery according to power, but a life of loyalty according to meaning. If it's meaningful to you, be with someone who has no power. When you protect yourself from the temptations of power and numbers, you can live your life as you are without losing your confidence. In a world full of temptations, how blessed it is to live as yourself, like a spiritual independence fighter. Now, pursue success, but don't fall into the myth of successionism, and avoid attending success seminars if possible. So, have a holy spiritual fin that goes against the tides of the world, looking to the hopes and rewards of heaven.
Seek meaning more than power. The power is short-lived, but the meaning lasts. Power breeds darkness, but meaning illuminates the world. Power hasten death, but meaning revives life. Power chokes the soul, but meaning breathes the soul. The one who seeks power has much to be afraid of and much to stumble upon by the energy of darkness, but the one who seeks meaning rides the wave of light and has no hesitation or stumbling block.
Pursue meaning like a spiritual independence force in a world swept away by power and numbers, and follow the path of a meaningful minority even when hardships are expected toward a holy vision. Even if it is difficult, if it is the path you have to go, do not hesitate to go. Also, if it's a small thing that means something, keep doing it. Rome is not built overnight, but when meaningful days come together, the holy Rome of the new heavens and new earth will be built. Now, don't make excuses for being small and small, and make your daily life a meaningful life, and become blessed spirits who spread new heavens and new earth on this earth.