Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 23:17, ” These things were done by the three mighty men. “

Background

I love the Marx Brothers. The best of their bits is as funny as the best of any other bits in the business. I love their rapid-fire dialogue that was generally nonsensical and full of misdirection and contradiction. I love their physical comedy that seemed simple and basic, yet was performed with precision and dexterity and supreme skill. I love their disregard for all things pretentious and self-serving, as well as their propensity for chaos and reckless abandon. Heck, I even love their names. In the world of comedy, Groucho, Harpo, and Chico were three mighty men. I don’t particularly love The Three Tenors. I’m not a fan of opera, so even with the combined voices of three of the greats of their era, the appeal to me is just not there. I can’t begin to appreciate their gifts in song, and their performances are more noise than they are soothing music. But in the world of opera, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and José Carreras were three mighty men. What does it take to become a mighty man? What are the credentials that one must have to be widely considered a mighty man? Regardless of the profession or the area of interest, are there common points of excellence that all mighty men share? 

Application

When you look around, I bet you don’t see too many people that you would label as being mighty, do you? Generally speaking, the masses are the masses for a reason. But as you glance in the mirror, I wonder if you know what might be keeping you from being mighty? Could it be a conscious choice whereby you have decided to simply go about your days with as little disruption as possible? Could it be that you are stretched so thin and in so many directions that there is not enough of you left to be mighty? Or is it that you simply have never considered the possibility of being mighty, that you enjoy a certain amount of success and comfort where you are, and anything beyond the status quo has never crossed your radar? Whatever the case may be, may I encourage you to seek with all your heart the mighty God whose plans for you are no smaller than He who makes them.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to make you mighty for His causes, and begin the journey by taking that first step of faith, empowered by His Holy Spirit.