Judges 12:7-15: a reflection

7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in the cities of Gilead. 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9He had thirty sons. He sent his thirty daughters outside his clan, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem. 11After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 12Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. 13After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 14He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years. 15Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

After the dramatic account of Jephthah, the book quietly lists a succession of judges of whom little is recorded, only their names, their years of service, their families, and their burial. Ibzan judged Israel seven years; Elon judged Israel ten years; Abdon judged Israel eight years. Of these men we are told almost nothing beyond that they judged, led, and served Israel for their years, and then died and were buried. There are no dramatic stories, no great exploits recorded; only the quiet fact of years of faithful service, briefly noted. Yet these men led and served Israel through their ordinary years, and their service mattered, though little of it is recorded. This honors the quiet, unremarked faithfulness of those who serve steadily without dramatic stories to tell. Much faithful service leaves little record but still matters. Steady service through ordinary years matters, though barely recorded. Not all faithful service comes with dramatic stories. Quiet, unremarked service still counts before God.

Notice how little the account tells us about these judges, and yet how they are still recorded. Between the dramatic accounts of judges like Gideon and Jephthah and Samson, these men served their years quietly: Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, each judging Israel for a span of years, then dying and being buried, with little else recorded. There are no great exploits, no dramatic deliverances attached to their names. And yet they led and served Israel through their ordinary years, and their names are preserved. This honors something we can easily overlook: the quiet, steady, unremarked faithfulness of those whose service leaves little dramatic record. Much of the good done in the world, much faithful service to God and others, comes not with dramatic stories but with quiet, steady faithfulness through ordinary years, barely noticed or recorded. Such service is not less valuable for being unremarked. God sees and values the quiet faithfulness that history barely records. Steady, faithful service through ordinary years matters, though it makes no dramatic story. Not all who serve faithfully have exploits to show; many serve quietly. The quiet faithfulness of ordinary years is precious to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for much faithful service is quiet and unremarked, leaving little dramatic record, yet it matters and is seen by God, as these judges served their years with little recorded of them. We can think that only dramatic, visible service, service with a story to tell, really matters, and undervalue the quiet, steady faithfulness of ordinary years; but these judges led and served Israel through their years with no great exploits recorded, and their names are preserved. Quiet faithfulness matters. Do not undervalue steady, unremarked service through ordinary years; serve God faithfully in your ordinary years, knowing your quiet faithfulness matters and is seen. Value the quiet, steady faithfulness of ordinary years, your own and others', not thinking that only dramatic service with a story to tell really matters, as the book of Judges, after the dramatic accounts, quietly records judges like Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, of whom little is told beyond their years of service and their burial, yet who led and served Israel through their ordinary years; for much of the good done in the world and much faithful service to God comes not with dramatic stories or great exploits but with quiet, steady faithfulness through ordinary years, barely noticed or recorded, which is not less valuable for being unremarked, since God sees and values the quiet faithfulness that history barely records, so that we do well to serve God faithfully in our own ordinary years, knowing such quiet service matters and is seen by him.

Lord, after the dramatic account of Jephthah, the book quietly lists a succession of judges of whom little is recorded, only their names, their years of service, their families, and their burial. Ibzan judged Israel seven years; Elon judged Israel ten years; Abdon judged Israel eight years. Of these men we are told almost nothing beyond that they judged, led, and served Israel for their years, and then died and were buried. There are no dramatic stories, no great exploits recorded; only the quiet fact of years of faithful service, briefly noted. Yet these men led and served Israel through their ordinary years, and their service mattered, though little of it is recorded. Show me how little the account tells about these judges, and yet how they are still recorded. Between the dramatic accounts of judges like Gideon and Samson, these men served their years quietly, then died and were buried, with little else recorded. And yet they led and served Israel through their ordinary years, and their names are preserved. This honors something I can easily overlook: the quiet, steady, unremarked faithfulness of those whose service leaves little dramatic record. Much of the good done in the world comes not with dramatic stories but with quiet, steady faithfulness through ordinary years, barely noticed. Such service is not less valuable for being unremarked. Take that to my heart, for much faithful service is quiet and unremarked, yet it matters and is seen by you. Keep me from thinking that only dramatic, visible service really matters; help me serve you faithfully in my ordinary years, Lord, knowing my quiet faithfulness matters and is seen by you, who value the steady service that history barely records.