Judith 13:11-20: a reflection

11Judith said afar off to the watchmen at the gates, “Open, open the gate, now. God is with us, even our God, to show his power yet in Israel, and his might against the enemy, as he has done even this day.” 12It came to pass, when the men of her city heard her voice, they made haste to go down to the gate of their city, and they called together the elders of the city. 13They all ran together, both small and great, for it seemed unbelievable to them that she had come. They opened the gate and received them, making a fire to give light, and surrounded them. 14She said to them with a loud voice, “Praise God! Praise him! Praise God, who has not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel, but has destroyed our enemies by my hand tonight!” 15Then she took the head out of the bag and showed it, and said to them, “Behold, the head of Holofernes, the chief captain of the army of Asshur, and behold, the canopy under which he laid in his drunkenness. The Lord struck him by the hand of a woman. 16And as the Lord lives, who preserved me in my way that I went, my countenance deceived him to his destruction, and he didn’t commit sin with me, to defile and shame me.” 17All the people were exceedingly amazed, and bowed themselves, and worshiped God, and said with one accord, “Blessed are you, O our God, who have this day humiliated the enemies of your people.” 18Ozias said to her, “Blessed are you, daughter, in the sight of the Most High God, above all the women upon the earth; and blessed is the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who directed you to cut off the head of the prince of our enemies. 19For your hope will not depart from the heart of men that remember the strength of God forever. 20May God turn these things to you for a perpetual praise, to visit you with good things, because you didn’t spare your life by reason of the affliction of our race, but prevented our ruin, walking a straight way before our God.” And all the people said, “Amen! Amen!”

Judith returns to her besieged city in the night, calling to the watchmen to open the gates, for God has delivered his people. The city, which had been on the edge of despair, erupts in astonishment and joy. Judith gives them the news of the enemy commander's death, achieved against all odds, and immediately turns their attention where it belongs: Praise God, praise him, who has not withdrawn his mercy from Israel but has delivered us this night.

What is striking is that Judith takes no glory for herself. She had risked her life, going alone into the enemy's camp, and God had used her to save her people, but her first and repeated word is praise to God. The people join her, bowing to worship God who had rescued them through the courage of one faithful woman. And the elders bless Judith not for her own sake but because she had not spared her own life for the sake of her people, walking uprightly before God.

Two things worth taking from this scene. First, God delights to deliver his people through unlikely instruments, using the courage of one faithful person, often the weak and overlooked, to accomplish what armies could not. Do not assume you are too small to be used by God. Second, when God works through you, follow Judith's example: turn the glory back to him. Praise God for what he does through you, and let your courage, like hers, be spent for the good of others rather than for your own honor.

Lord, you delivered your people through the courage of one faithful woman, and she turned all the glory back to you. Thank you that you use unlikely instruments, the weak and the overlooked, to do what armies cannot. Do not let me think I am too small to be used by you. And when you work through me, teach me to praise you for it, spending my courage for others and not for my own honor. Amen.