1 Samuel 14:13-17: a reflection

13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling. 16The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered. 17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count now, and see who is missing from us.” When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

Jonathan, with only his armor-bearer beside him, climbs up to attack an entire Philistine garrison. Just the two of them, against a whole outpost of the enemy. Earlier he had said the words that frame the whole scene: nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few. And so it proves. The two of them strike down the first men; then God sends a panic through the whole camp, the ground trembles, and the enemy army melts away in confusion.

Notice the conviction Jonathan acted on: God can save by many or by few. He did not wait until he had a large enough force, or good enough odds, or sufficient resources. He believed that victory did not depend on numbers but on God, and that God was just as able to work through two as through two thousand. And God honored that faith, giving through two men what an army could not have secured by strength alone.

There is encouragement here for whenever we feel too few, too small, too under-resourced to attempt what God might be calling us toward. We tend to think God needs large numbers, big budgets, favorable odds. Jonathan reminds us that nothing hinders the Lord from saving by many or by few. If God is in it, your smallness is not the obstacle it seems. Do not despise the day of small things or wait for better odds. Like Jonathan, act in faith with what you have, few as it may be, and trust the God who saves by many or by few.

Lord, nothing can hinder you from saving by many or by few. When I feel too few, too small, too under-resourced for what you might be calling me to, remind me that your victories do not depend on numbers but on faith. Like Jonathan, help me act with what I have, few as it is, trusting that if you are in it, my smallness is no obstacle to you.