4But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5So Gideon took the men down to the water. There theLord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
In life, it is not the huge number of people that associate with you that matters. It is who is willing to go the long haul with you that is most important.
Often times the masses appear to share in our glory. In the case of Jesus, they hailed him and sang hossanna. Right afterwards the same people screamed and chanted - "crucify him!"
Mortal man cannot always be trusted , as he can let one down. Our hope and trust must be in God, and we must, like Gideon decipher the unfaithful and opportunists from the loyal and faithful ones.
We must by God's help discern who will stand by us from who won't. And when those who won't stand by, and with us expose themselves, we must be willing to let them go. Do not hold on to dead helpers, or you will stall your dream and vision.
WHAT IS NEXT?
