Judges 13:11-15: a reflection

11Manoah arose and followed his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” He said, “I am.” 12Manoah said, “Now let your words happen. What shall the child’s way of life and mission be?” 13The LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her beware. 14She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. Let her observe all that I commanded her.” 15Manoah said to the LORD’s angel, “Please stay with us, that we may make a young goat ready for you.”

When Manoah learns that God has promised him and his wife a son with a special calling, his earnest concern is to know how to raise the child rightly, how to order his life according to the calling God has given. Now let your words happen, Manoah says to the angel; what shall the child's way of life and mission be? Manoah did not take the promised child for granted, or assume he knew best how to raise him; he earnestly sought to know how to bring the child up rightly, to steward well the calling God had placed on him. This reflects a good desire: to raise well and steward faithfully what God gives, seeking his guidance for the responsibility. This shows the value of earnestly seeking to steward well what God gives, seeking his guidance. Seek to steward well and raise rightly what God gives you. Manoah earnestly sought how to bring up the child God gave. Ask God's guidance for the responsibilities he gives you. Steward faithfully what God entrusts, seeking his way.

Notice Manoah's earnest, humble desire. Told that God would give him a son with a special mission, Manoah did not simply rejoice and assume he would manage; he sought to know how to raise the child rightly, how to order his upbringing according to God's purpose, asking, what shall the child's way of life and mission be? He wanted to steward well the responsibility God was giving him, and he sought God's guidance for it rather than presuming on his own understanding. This reflects a good and humble desire that we do well to imitate. When God entrusts us with a responsibility, a child to raise, a task to do, a gift to steward, a calling to fulfill, we do well not to take it for granted or presume we know best, but to seek earnestly how to steward it faithfully, how to fulfill the responsibility rightly, asking God's guidance. There is a humility and an earnestness in Manoah's asking that honors God and takes the responsibility seriously. We do well to bring the responsibilities God gives us to him, seeking his guidance in how to steward them well. Seek God's guidance in how to steward well what he entrusts to you. Do not presume you know best; ask how to fulfill your responsibility rightly. Take the responsibilities God gives seriously, seeking to steward them faithfully. Manoah's earnest asking honors God and the responsibility given.

That is worth taking to heart, for we do well to seek earnestly how to steward faithfully what God entrusts to us, asking his guidance, as Manoah sought how to raise the child God promised. We can take the responsibilities God gives us for granted, or presume we know best how to handle them; but Manoah earnestly sought how to bring up the promised child rightly, asking for guidance. Stewarding well what God gives takes such earnestness. When God entrusts you with a responsibility, do not take it for granted or presume you know best; seek earnestly how to steward it faithfully, asking his guidance. Seek earnestly how to steward faithfully what God entrusts to you, asking his guidance rather than taking the responsibility for granted or presuming you know best, as Manoah, told that God would give him and his wife a son with a special calling, did not simply assume he knew how to raise him but earnestly asked the angel, what shall the child's way of life and mission be, seeking to bring up the child rightly and steward well the calling God had placed on him; for when God entrusts us with a responsibility, a child to raise, a task to do, a gift to steward, or a calling to fulfill, we do well not to take it for granted or presume we know best but to seek earnestly and humbly how to steward it faithfully and fulfill it rightly, asking God's guidance, since there is a humility and an earnestness in such asking that honors God and takes the responsibility seriously, so that we do well to bring the responsibilities God gives us to him, seeking his guidance in how to steward them well, as Manoah did.

Lord, when Manoah learns that you have promised him and his wife a son with a special calling, his earnest concern is to know how to raise the child rightly, how to order his life according to the calling you have given. Now let your words happen, Manoah says to the angel; what shall the child's way of life and mission be? Manoah did not take the promised child for granted, or assume he knew best how to raise him; he earnestly sought to know how to bring the child up rightly, to steward well the calling you had placed on him. This reflects a good desire: to raise well and steward faithfully what you give, seeking your guidance for the responsibility. Show me Manoah's earnest, humble desire. Told that you would give him a son with a special mission, Manoah did not simply rejoice and assume he would manage; he sought to know how to raise the child rightly, asking, what shall the child's way of life and mission be? He wanted to steward well the responsibility you were giving him, and he sought your guidance for it rather than presuming on his own understanding. This reflects a good and humble desire that I do well to imitate. When you entrust me with a responsibility, a task to do, a gift to steward, a calling to fulfill, I do well not to take it for granted or presume I know best, but to seek earnestly how to steward it faithfully, asking your guidance. There is a humility and an earnestness in Manoah's asking that honors you. Take that to my heart, for I do well to seek earnestly how to steward faithfully what you entrust to me. When you entrust me with a responsibility, keep me from taking it for granted or presuming I know best; help me seek earnestly and humbly how to steward it faithfully, Lord, asking your guidance, as Manoah sought how to raise the child you promised, that I may honor you and take seriously what you entrust to me.