TAMED LION
JUDGES 14:14
He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer.
I owe a certain business tactic to a certain director of a story building in which many businessmen had rented office spaces. In that particular owner-leaser meeting, the director was concerned on the accumulated debts which were unpaid by rent defaulters. And to correct the issue, he proposed a project where all would invest in the premise so that as they pay for their rent, they also contribute and become beneficiaries of the profits accrued from the company, so that ‘out of the eater, comes something to eat’ for all. It’s a policy which seemed worth and tempting at the same time.
This reminds me of John 1:46, when Nathaniel asked whether anything good could come out of Nazareth after he was told of Jesus of Nazareth as the savior foretold by the prophets. Many expect the swift to win races but this is not so Biblically. We expect the string to win battles but the Lord gives victory to those that He loves. Many never expected to have the savior born in the state that Jesus was.
It is common today to find Jesus saving the scum of the society. This surprises many, as people watch in disbelief as prostitutes, murderers, robbers, confirmed drunkards, conmen etc. all surrendering to Jesus Christ. Even believers watch in disbelief, some to an extent, are resistant at accepting them in their congregation and fellowships. We can vividly recall the life of Paul before he met with the Lord. He was a persecutor of brethren (Acts 9:1-31) before conversion, yet he became on the Lord’s best used vessel used in the spread of the gospel. He was used of God in a very special way.
John 4:4-42 tells of a story about a prostitute who became an ‘evangelist’ to the Samaritans. She was used at ‘snatching’ other women’s husbands yet the Lord transformed her to a mission vessel. She was a ‘marauding’ lioness that ate other women’s husbands but when she met with Jesus Christ at the well, at first, she got the impression of another ‘catch’, but Jesus saw a vessel to be used for the Glory of God. Believers should change their perception of things. We should look at the buildings and not the heap of stones.
There are many people that the Lord has transformed from their weaknesses into kings. Jacob was changed from being a conman to Israel, and many of us can understand the grace of God since we were even more worse than Jacob yet the Lord saved us. We used to be ‘eaters’, marauding beasts, killers etc and through the Lord’s mercy, we are today vessels of peace. We no longer ‘tear’ other people’s businesses, families, happiness….but God is using us in proclaiming His gospel to the nations. We used to be eaters but theres something sweet coming from us today; some honey, sweet honey. We were gangsters but the Lord has made us pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelists and even apostles.
So whenever you find yourself in a situation where you have to minister to a gangster, a prostitute etc. confront him/her with the gospel bearing in mind that behind that character, there is an international evangelist/missionary. Preach with boldness for it is the Lord who saves and transforms and He will back his word as he says that once you lift him up, he will draw the nations to himself (John 12 :32).
