Y’all or You Guys?

A series on the Judges of Israel
 – Othniel from the tribe of Judah
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Judges 3:1-11 

[The book of Judges is a roller coaster ride. It’s about the history of Israel following their entry into the Promised Land. Unfortunately, Israel went through cycles of rejecting God and then repenting. Each time, the Lord saved them by raising up a leader who was called a judge. In this series, we will be looking at some of these judges to learn about God’s character as well as our own.]

 

Do you have much of an accent? Do you say “y’all” or “you guys”?

 

When I was four years old, my Dad took a job in Boston. We moved there from Charleston, W.V. Can you imagine a more dramatic change in culture, values, geography and accent? There’s a story about my Dad when he drove us to Boston that highlights just how different their accent was.

 

We arrived at night and Dad was lost so he asked a Boston police officer for directions. After listening closely to very detailed directions, Dad thanked the officer, closed the car window, turned to the family and asked, “Did anybody understand anything that he said”.

 

Moving to a new home in a new land and a new culture can be difficult. When Joshua brought the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan, there was a vast difference in the cultures, not the least of which was the gods they worshiped.

 

Because of this, the Lord had instructed the Israelites to drive the Canaanites, with their gods, out of the land. But instead of obeying God, the Hebrews chose to assimilate with the local culture through intermarriage and worshipping their gods.

 

As a result of the Israelite’s rebellion, they suffered devastating consequences.

 

⁸ Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.   NLT

 

When the oppression was more than they could bear, the Israelites cried out to the Lord who responded by raising up a deliverer in Othniel.

 

¹⁰ The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him. ¹¹ So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.                        NLT

 

It doesn’t matter if you say “y’all” or “you guys”. Having your accent affected by the culture you live in isn’t life changing. But having your values, beliefs and behavior affected is. Especially when it comes to who you worship.

 

Here’s what Paul had to say to the believers in Rome about trying to fit in.

 

² Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.    Romans 12    ERV

 

The Lord delivered the Israelites through Othniel. The result was forty years of peace in the land. The Lord sent Jesus to deliver you and me with the resulting peace lasting for an eternity.

 

Copyright 2024 Joseph B Williams

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www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Lod Arahbull Box

A Series on Living in the Wilderness
Peter
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Matthew 26:31-35; 69-75 

[In this series we’ll be looking at people who lived in the wilderness of life. In fact, there are times when we all feel like we are living in the wilderness. During those times, it’s important to remember that the Lord is faithful, that He loves you and is always with you.]

  

Quite a few years ago we were on our way to meet some friends for a vacation in Kentucky. Unfortunately, we were running late so I called the lodging office to let them know that we wouldn’t make it before they closed.

 

The lady who answered sounded very nice and proceeded to tell me that the key would be available in the “lod arahbull box”. I asked her to repeat that, which she did. But I still had no idea what she’d said. It took me a minute before it hit me that she had said “late arrival box”. She had a distinctive Kentucky accent.

 

Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. There was a lot happening during their Passover meal. Judas had already decided to betray Jesus. Some of the disciples argued about who was the greatest. Meanwhile, Jesus washed their feet and served them bread and wine.

 

At the end of the meal, Jesus told his disciples that they would desert him that same night. Proud and impulsive as always, Peter declared that he would never desert Jesus. Even if he had to die with him, he wouldn’t deny him.

 

Jesus told a different story.

 

³⁴ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”           NLT

 

Following this, Jesus and the disciples went to Gethsemane where he was arrested and taken to the chief priests’ home. Peter followed him there but remained outside with others which included servants who recognized him as a follower of Jesus.

 

He denied it! In fact, he denied even knowing Jesus! On the third time he was identified by his Galilean accent. This time, Peter not only swore that he didn’t know Jesus, but he also called down a curse upon himself.

 

As he said this, a rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. It was then that he remembered the prediction that Jesus had made earlier that night. Scripture tells us that “Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly”. He was living in the wilderness.

 

His public betrayal of friendship and loyalty was devastating. For all of Peter’s bluster, he had failed far beyond what anyone could have imagined. He had failed his rabbi, his close friend and the man who he had proclaimed was the Messiah.

 

Despite his failure, Jesus gave Peter a second chance. He saw Peter’s potential as a leader of the church; as the Rock that he could build upon. He knew that Peter was a work in progress.

 

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.             NIV    Ephesians 2

 

Like the “lod arahbull box” lady, Peter was identified by his accent. As Paul wrote, we are the Lord’s handiwork, and he has created us to do something special. Hopefully, our good works will be our accent that identifies us as a follower of Jesus.

 

Copyright 2024 Joseph B Williams

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com