Left Handed

Being impeded or handicapped doesn’t rule you out for doing an amazing work of God.

Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. (Judges 3:15)

The second Israelite judge was a man named “Ehud”. The interesting detail the Bible provides us with is the fact that he was “left handed.” In the 21st century being left handed means little to nothing as there are plenty of people, especially creative people, who are left handed. However, in ~1300 BC, being left handed simply was a nice way to say “handicapped”. The writer of the Book of Judges wanted people to know that Ehud was handicapped. However, despite his “handicap” he went on to be an assassin and warrior who brought peace to the land of Israel for 80 years. The gory details of Ehud’s most famous assassination is on par with any GoT penultimate season finale and can be found in Judges 3:12-20.

What Ehud’s story teaches us today is this: being handicapped or thinking that you’re handicapped or disadvantaged somehow or someway is not an excuse for doing nothing or being unable to do something. If a handicapped man can become a “deliverer” of Israel by becoming an assassin and general in prehistoric times, then shouldn’t we be able to accomplish more and do more? God can use anybody at any time. We should not hold ourselves back from being used by God to do some incredible things just because we are or be believe we are handicapped in some way. Our past experience and decision may feel like they discount us or our physical appearance may be perceived as an impediment; but to God, none of that matters as He is the one who empowers and enables. What handicap are you using as an excuse from doing great things in the name of God?