Judith 10:18-23: a reflection

18And there was great excitement throughout all the camp, for her coming was reported among the tents. They came and surrounded her as she stood outside Holofernes’ tent, until they told him about her. 19They marveled at her beauty, and marveled at the children of Israel because of her. Each one said to his neighbor, “Who would despise these people, who have among them such women? For it is not good that one man of them be left, seeing that, if they are let go, they will be able to deceive the whole earth. 20Then the guards of Holofernes and all his servants came out and brought her into the tent. 21And Holofernes was resting upon his bed under the canopy, which was woven with purple, gold, emeralds, and precious stones. 22And they told him about her; and he came out into the space before his tent, with silver lamps going before him. 23But when Judith had come before him and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her countenance. She fell down upon her face and bowed down to him, but his servants raised her up.

Judith walks into the camp of the enemy army, alone. The soldiers surround her, marvel at her, and lead her to their commander Holofernes in his opulent tent. She is a widow from a small hill town, unarmed, walking of her own will into the stronghold of the very army bent on destroying her people. It is an act of extraordinary nerve, and it is undertaken for others, to try to save her people from annihilation.

Notice the courage and the resolve. Judith does not stay safe at home, wringing her hands while her people are besieged. She has counted the danger, prepared herself, prayed, and now she walks straight into the heart of the threat, into the enemy's own tent, trusting God to work through her. The safest thing would have been to do nothing; instead she puts herself in harm's way for the sake of others.

There is a challenge in that for us, who so often choose safety over the risky thing love might require. Judith reminds us that faithfulness sometimes means walking into the hard place, the confrontation, the danger, the situation we would rather avoid, for the sake of people who need us, trusting God to be with us there. Where is love calling you into a hard or costly place you have been avoiding for the comfort of staying home? Consider Judith walking into the enemy camp for her people, and ask God for the nerve to go where faithfulness leads, trusting him to be with you in the stronghold.

Lord, Judith walked alone into the enemy camp for the sake of her people, trusting you. Where love calls me into a hard, costly, or frightening place I have been avoiding for the comfort of staying safe, give me her nerve. Help me go where faithfulness leads, for the sake of others who need me, trusting you to be with me there.