Southpaw Stories! Series

Slugfest

Pt. 4 - Southpaw Stories

I. Introduction

There are few greats that share a trait that other fighters fear! Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Manny Pacquiao would probably be the most commonly known champions. The shared trait is they are southpaws. In other words, they are left-handed. This causes a problem for the fighters they faced because it was like fighting in a mirror. It was unusual. If the fighter, like Pacquiao, learned to be able to switch to orthodox stance then his lead hand was also his strong hand. The movements were hard to adjust to. It was such a struggle that in the past it was common for orthodox boxers to simply refuse to face “lefties.” It is interesting that a recent study of over 13,800 professional boxers and mixed martial artists of varying abilities found robust evidence that left-handed fighters have greater fighting success. Those who are southpaw have a higher chance of winning - 54%. The study concluded that left-handed people are better fighters than their right-handed counterparts because they catch the right-handed off guard. So, I just wanted to encourage you today to fight left-handed!

Let me see if I can explain.

TEXT: Genesis 35:16-18 (TLB)

Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his clan moved on toward Ephrath. But Rachel went into labor while they were still some distance away. Her labor pains were intense. 17 After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Don’t be afraid—you have another son!” 18 Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”).

I don't have time to tell you the impact or incredible truth out of this passage (you can go back to a message I did years ago called Switched if you are interested). Just let me point out that Rachel dies in childbirth and out of her pain she is going to mark her son by naming him Ben-oni or son of my sorrow. However, Jaco walks into the room and renames the son with a title of privilege and a position of power by calling him Benjamin. He is the son of his right hand. The right hand is the hand of power. It denotes authority and strength. It is the place of favor and honor. The right hand. The right hand. Benjamin would become the namesake of one of the tribes of Israel. His tribe is noted for in the ranks of Israel’s fighting men as the "Tip of spear." The descendants of Benjamin were warriors. Fighting men par excellence. They were our modern-day Marines. Often sent first into battle. They were the son of the right hand. You can make the statement that this wasn't just a title given to them, but literal as well. The men were so predominantly right-handed that anyone who wasn't right-handed was considered handicapped or odd. Being left-handed was symbolic for being outside of the culturally accepted social norm of leadership in ancient Israel. Southpaws were "special!"

Which brings me to our text today.

Text: Judges 3:12-23, 27-30 (TLB)

Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms. And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat. After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.” So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room. Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied. Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.