Be careful what you wish for

There’s an old saying that says, “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.”

The point being, of course, that sometimes what we wish so desperately for is not always a good thing.

After being in the promised land for many years, this is the first time we see the Israelites clamoring for a king.

When they asked Gideon to be their king, he told them that God was their king, but they couldn’t accept that. And so after Gideon’s death, they were ripe for Gideon’s son Abimelech’s play for power.

Abimelech was the son of Gideon’s concubine, and not long after his father’s death, he tried to gather support from his mother’s family and hometown in Shechem.

He was successful, and together, they slaughtered Gideon’s other 70 sons and Abimelech became the first king ever in Israel, although his scope of power was probably limited to Shechem.

Jotham, one of Gideon’s sons, escaped however, and told the people of Shechem a parable.

Basically it was a story of some trees seeking a king, and after being rejected by an olive tree, a fig tree, and a grapevine, they turned to a thornbush which accepted, but would eventually destroy them.

Jotham’s point was that in seeking a king, they had placed someone over them who would eventually destroy them.

And that’s what happened.

The people of Shechem eventually realized that Abimelech was not a man they wanted as their king, but it was too late, and many of the men who had chosen him were eventually killed by him.

Abimelech himself was killed in his attack on Shechem, and so his reach for power came to an abrupt end.

The same can happen with us. How often do we sometimes wish so hard for something, that we ignore God as our king?

We wish so hard for our dream job that we ignore the fact that it’ll take us away from our church on Sundays.

We wish so hard for a husband or wife, that we ignore the fact that they aren’t Christians.

We wish so hard for sexual pleasure that we ignore God’s command that we are to save ourselves for marriage.

But in doing these things, our lives become a mess. Be careful what you wish for. Make sure that your desires are in line with God’s desires. And remember Jesus’ promise to us.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (you need) will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)