I woke up thinking about vuvuzelas

Today is the final day of the World Cup.  I have enjoyed watching the fanfare of it all, loved the South African elements of the ESPN coverage, and even watched a few games (admittedly, though, I lost interest after the USA loss to Ghana).

But this vuvuzela (vu-vu-ZAY-la) phenomenon is fascinating.  I'm probably no different than many who thought, upon watching my first World Cup match a month ago, that something was wrong with the volume on my TV, or as one commentator said, "it's like a swarm of bees" were swirling around Soccer City or something.  On a funny note, I caught an ESPN clip yesterday from Rick Reilley's "Riled UP" feature scaring every bride-to-be with his "Vuvuzela Invasion" video.

Nevertheless, the World Cup ends today.  Go Spain, Go Dutch - I really have no horse in this race.  I have loved the attention on Africa and I think South Africa had done an incredible PR job with it all (minus the vuvuzela influence).

Last week in our study through the book of Judges, we spent our 2nd week on the life of Gideon.  In the first week, we saw Gideon throwing out his fleece to confirm that indeed God was asking this man of the weakest tribe of Isreal to lead in defeating the massive and impressive Midianite army.  Weak faith or not, Gideon's tests for God were granted with mercy, and those tests compelled and propelled this Israelite to prepare his own army of 32,000 to fight.

Oh wait, says God, "you got too many men."

God asks Gideon to release the men who were "trembling in fear" (later on in the chapter Gideon is said to be afraid, too, but I guess he didn't tremble in his fear).  Then he sifts out the alert soldier from the selfish and ends up with only 300 men.  So now the Lord has determined that His glory can be achieved with a small band of weak men, equipped with swords, jars holding their torches, and vuvuzelas.

What? 

OK, so maybe they were trumpets (I'd love to know if any South African preachers have contextualized the battle horn this way).  In our study last Wednesday, one of our church's furloughing missionaries from South Africa was visiting and he got a kick out of our fascination with the vuuvzela so he played along and every time the word "trumpet" was mentioned, he'd substitute "vuvuzela" in the text.

In this story, we were all struck how God equips His soldiers for battle:

1. Alert & Aware - God's soldiers were to be alert and aware (down on your hands and knees makes you vulnerable to the enemy and thus destined for defeat).  I Peter 5.8 is a stark reminder that our enemy prowls around like a lion seeking to devour those unaware of his schemes (2 Cor 2.10-11).
2. Lead with Light - God's soldiers carry the Light, not as a small pinlight, but as a flaming torch to light the way, leading people out of darkness into the glorious Light (1 Pet 2.9).
3. Jars of Clay - In this account, you can't help as well to think that humility is a factor.  From the beginning, as the numbers dwindle, we are reminded as God's soldiers, that God gets all the glory, not us.  So as we fight for God, we lead with the treasured reality that God works through us.  Paul recounts that "we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Cor 4.7-11).
4. Using the Sword Correctly - Throughout Judges, a sword is a weapon of war.  Throughout Scripture, it is analogous to the Word of God.  It is interesting, as one of our study participants noted, that in their left hand was their torch and in their right hand was their trumpet.  Where was the sword?  Not lifted high ready to kill, but surely strapped and ready to do battle.  Don't use the Bible to kill people; use it as a double-edged sword that convicts people themselves.  In this victory, the people turned on themselves so a physical weapon was not even needed.
5. Blasts of Praise - I love the story in 2 Chronicles 20 where Jehoshaphat defeats the Moabites and does so by putting the praise band out front.  I think the trumpets can be seen here as the soldiers' weapon of choice - much like praise and even prayer.  Shouts of God are continuously seen in Scripture as powerful victory sealers, whether they are stomping around the walls of Jericho or scaring the daylights out of the Midianites so bad that they turn on themselves.  Our voices reflect our heart (Mt 12.34), and these vuvuvzelas are indicative of the power we wield when our faith comes in shouts of praise and prayer.  

Enjoy the vuvuzela sounds of today.  Let it remind you of God's instruments of battle, and how when used correctly, the armor of God can equip a small band of soldiers to defeat an overwleming enemy of great strength and size.

-Randy

Image source:  amor por la comiseta