Today’s reading: Judges 17:7-18:20
When Micah meets a young Levite who has left Bethlehem in search of another place to live, he offers him employment as his family’s personal priest. Judges 17:11-12 tells us, “And the Levite was content to dwell with the man [Micah], and the young man became to him like one of his sons. And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.”
At some point after this, five men on a scouting mission from the tribe of Dan stop by Micah’s house for lodging, where they then meet and learn about Micah’s Levite. Not long after this, the five men, along with 600 warriors, again stop at the home of Micah. This time, however, their visit is not for lodging but for the sole purpose of taking Micah’s priest, his ephod and the other idols he possesses. But the method the men of Dan use to secure the Levite and spiritual items isn’t warfare. They simply appeal to the Levite’s ego. They entice him away by puffing him up, telling him how much more status, power and importance he will have by being a priest for a whole tribe versus one little family. And their approach works wonderfully. They get what they want and no blood is shed.
“‘Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?’ And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.” (Judges 18:19-20)
What a powerful example of how self-centered, self-important thinking—wants, status, possessions, jobs, bank accounts and a need to feel important and noticed—can cloud and corrupt our thinking and decisions. There’s a lot to think about today from this passage, particularly the choices made by the Levite.
What’s one lesson or point that stood out to you from this account, and why? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
