Rising Above Your Circumstances

 

    If certain things in life were easy, then it would not be a subject of conversation, reflection, or consideration.  It takes strong self-disciplines people with a focused determination to be able to rise above their circumstances.  It could be the rich pursuing humility, so they can changes things.  It can be people with little in life becoming more or different.  Everyone's path is different, but what stays the same is that it is easier to stay in the norm.

    The people that change and rise above their circumstances are the people you remember throughout history.  Jephthah was the judge that came after Jair.  He rose above his circumstances to be able to serve God.  He became a mighty warrior for the Israelites, but his beginning did not look promising.  His mother was a prostitute which probably means his father was never in the picture, to be a role model. His half brothers rejected him.

    He must have showed something special despite it all because the elders went to him and asked him to lead the fight against the Ammonites.  Maybe they thought if he died, no loss.  He did the unexpected, he tried to make peace with their enemy.  The Ammonite king would not listen, so they would have to fight to settle things once and for all.

    The Holy Spirit was with Jephthah when he vowed to God that he would sacrifice the first thing he saw when he got home if God would give them victory.  Be careful what you vow.  God gave them the victory and Jephthah returned home ready to see his family again.  

    I guess his daughter saw him returning and excitedly went to welcome him home.  She was the first thing he saw.  It broke his heart because he could not take back his vow to God.  She was his only child and beloved which made the sacrifice all the more impactful.  God never condoned human sacrifice.  This was a special circumstance.  She became the sacrifice for all the sins of the Israelite people at that time.  

    The amazing thing is that she excepted her fate.  She asked for two months to mourn the life she would never have since she was a young teenager.  She spent it with her friends and stayed a virgin, so she was a pure and righteous sacrifice.  She allowed it to happen and for four days every year the people celebrated her life.

Judges 11