#13. Gideon (Part 2): Mistakes were made

In last week’s column, we discovered that it’s very likely Gideon was an introvert. We saw how, leading up to his decisive victory over the Midianites, he carefully sought clarification and reassurance from God. Without judgment, God provided what Gideon needed to build his confidence and ensure the right outcome. Unfortunately, Gideon later made some not-so-good decisions.

He is tired and feeling pressured

After successful conquests, with peace and safety restored, Gideon is ready to settle back into a quiet life. But the men of Israel press him to be their king, an opportunity he eschews.

I can imagine the introvert Gideon tired of having to be “on” for such a long time, just wanting to live out the rest of his life in peace. He’s fought a lot of hard, exhausting battles.

Tired introverts tend to make poor judgments, especially under pressure. And that’s what Gideon did. Instead of agreeing to be king, or suggesting everyone take a break so he could think things over, he rashly creates an “ephod” which was a kind of idol.

While the details are sketchy, Gideon takes this ephod and erects it in the city, perhaps in the same place where the altar to Baal he’d torn down a few years prior had stood. His intention may have been to create a visual reminder of all God had done for him and his people, but instead, the ephod became an object of worship and a “snare” to those who worshipped it.

He adapts to cultural customs

In the concluding verses of chapter 8, it’s noted that Gideon had “many” wives, a concubine, and at least 71 children. Only sons are mentioned so he probably had daughters as well. How, you wonder, could someone with such a large extended family be an introvert?

Simple. Introverts know how to adapt to and live within cultural expectations. This ability often causes introverts to be mistaken for being extroverts.

As the influential patriarch of his family, Gideon would have had control over his environment. In his culture and his time, the women watched the children and the men did what they wanted to. It would have been easy for him to manage ample times of solitude to recharge.

Still, being surrounded by so many people so much of the time added to his exhaustion and pressures.

He is sidelined by his people, but not by God

Sadly, after his death, “the people of Israel...did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel” (Judges 8:34-35, ESV).

Talk about tossing the baby out with the bath water! But God viewed his situation differently.

Hebrews 11 is known as “the faith chapter.” In it, the writer lists heroic Old Testament characters. These are extraordinary individuals whose stories serve as examples to encourage and challenge our own faith.

Despite his faults, Gideon makes the cut.

Along with others, such as David and Samson (both marked by glaring flaws by the way), they and Gideon are described as having “through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”

He was a quiet leader used by God

The story of Gideon is a wonderful example of how God acknowledges different personality types, and, in this instance, shows how He deals patiently and encouragingly with an introvert. Gideon rose to the occasion as an exceptional leader.

He was not an extroverted, outgoing, charismatic, or flashy warrior. He was a quiet leader who faced a tremendous challenge successfully. He was not in it for his own glory. He was in it for the Lord’s glory, and to help his people.

Yes, introverts can be heroes, too. They may not be as visible as Gideon was in his day, but you probably know one. Or, maybe you are one.

Next week, we’ll take a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at three things introverts dread in church!

Agree? Disagree? Love it? Hate it? Have a question about this blog or this post? Email me at Stephen@QuietlyFaithful.com or leave a comment below. Share your story about being a Christian introvert or let me know a specific topic you’d like to see addressed.

#12. Gideon (Part 1): He’s is no wimp!

Common labels too often attached to introverts include withholding, passive, cold, backward, bashful, cowardly, fearful, halting, hesitant, indecisive, shy, slow-witted, stand-offish, tentative, timid, and wimpy

Take, for instance, Gideon. His story shows up in Judges 6-8 and opens with him hiding in a winepress, secretly threshing wheat. Because of this isolated taken-out-of-context moment, he’s thought of as a cowering coward.

He is fully seen by God

But context is crucial. Gideon was hiding from marauding hordes of ruthless Midianites who “would come like locusts in number,” laying waste to the land, taking everything and anything they wanted by force.

Hiding in the winepress seems shrewd given the viciousness of those he was hiding from. In other words, typical wise introvert behavior.

God clearly doesn’t view him as a wimp since his messenger angel addresses Gideon as a “mighty man of valor.”

He seeks clarification

Gideon’s first reaction is typical of an introvert. He tells his angelic messenger, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold...I am the least....” His overall response is very introvert-like: Asking for more information to better assess what’s happening; Taking time to process the information; Seeking clarification to ensure he’s heard correctly.

Gideon is being instructed to go against savage hordes and save his entire people. True to his created nature, Gideon carefully weighed what was happening to avoid acting rashly.

He takes measured action

Gideon’s first task was to destroy an altar and idols Gideon’s father, Joash, had built to Baal, a false god. He plans, gathers trusted helpers, and waits until the whole town is asleep to do the deed, then quietly goes to bed when it’s done.

In true introvert fashion, Gideon recedes until someone points the finger at him. In the morning, after discovering his involvement, the townspeople demand that he be stoned. But Gideon escapes this close call thanks to Joash intervening.

This would have been a knee-knocker moment for Gideon or anyone. He was only inches away from being killed. But emboldened by the grace God administers through Joash, Gideon uses this success as encouragement to keep going.

He responds to the Holy Spirit

As the Midianites rally with their allies in preparation to ravage the land, Gideon is empowered with the Spirit of the Lord (aka the Holy Spirit) to sound a trumpet call to arms.

Following this burst of energetic enthusiasm, he has a reasonable crisis of faith and needs a little more reassurance. After all, he is about to confront a godless, head-lopping mob of thousands.

He seeks additional assurance

With reverence, humility, and respect Gideon seeks a visible sign from the Lord to ensure he’s heard correctly and is taking the proper course of action. He gets creative and sets out his fleece.

Some view this as “testing the Lord” and just another example of Gideon’s many flaws. As Tim Keller points out in the book Judges for You (The Good Book Company, 2013), “Gideon was very specifically asking God to show him that he was not one of the forces of nature. Gideon was not looking for ‘little signs’ to help him make a decision. He was really seeking to understand the nature of God. We have to remember that he did not have the Bible, nor many of ‘means of grace’ that we have now (the word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, Christian fellowship). He was very specifically addressing the places where his faith was weak and uninformed.”

Gideon comes humbly before God seeking one final assurance. This is a natural expression of Gideon’s introvert temperament and personality. The Lord shows no anger or impatience with Gideon.

He takes bold action

Once reassured, Gideon asks for no more signs, but without hesitation does what is asked. And what he is asked to do next is pretty remarkable – to trim his fighting force from 32,000 to 300!

Later, again recognizing the person Gideon was and how he had created him, the Lord offers Gideon an opportunity to seek further reassurance even though Gideon didn’t ask.

God tells Gideon to go eavesdrop on the enemy camp. There, he hears a man reveal a dream predicting an Israelite victory, is spiritually bolstered, and without hesitation launches a massively successful assault with only 300 men.

Next week we’ll continue looking at Gideon the introvert.

 

Agree? Disagree? Love it? Hate it? Have a question about this blog or this post? Email me at Stephen@QuietlyFaithful.com or leave a comment below. Share your story about being a Christian introvert or let me know a specific topic you’d like to see addressed. 

#11. Why this is important

The full title of this column is “Quietly Faithful: Being a Christian Introvert.” The goal of the column as stated in the very first entry, is to “explore the world of introverts, examine why we are different, discover ways to manage and thrive, and learn that it’s very okay to be how God has made us.”

This is what we’ve done for the past 10 weeks. But some readers – particularly extroverts – may be wondering why this is important.

It affects how we perceive and treat one another

In their book, Type Talk (1988), authors Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen explain, “…it’s almost second nature for us to pigeonhole and catalog people around us, though not always accurately or positively.”

We know this is true. We meet someone new, watch how they behave, and label them as outgoing, shy, chatty, cute, boring, sweet, rude, goofy, or something else. These on-the-spot labelings are based on brief and mostly inaccurate assessments. Yet they stick. Kind of like that nickname you hate that’s followed you all the way from grade school.

By having a basic understanding of personality types, our understanding of one another gains depth and accuracy. Knowing the basic traits that mark introverts and extroverts, we can recognize how these play out in social setting. Instead of viewing someone as stand-offish, we can recognize their introversion and know they just need time to become comfortable in a new situation. By understanding what drives extroverts, we can see them as gregarious rather than obnoxious.

It affects how we recognize and use our giftings

The MBTI was developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers during World War II. In the book Type Talk, the authors share that this grew out of observing “that many people in the war effort were working in tasks unsuited to their abilities.” This happens in churches a lot. It’s due to individuals not fully understanding how they are gifted coupled with the frequent need to fill slots with volunteers, aka any “warm and willing body.”

If you’ve ever been matched to a task for which you were not suited, you understand the frustration that ensues. Even though you have a heart to serve, doing this task is a grind. You feel guilty every time you recognize you’re dreading serving in the role.

It affects how we read and understand the Bible

Karen Jobes, in her excellent book, Esther: The NIV Application Commentary (1999) states, “We can gain valuable insights from listening to readings of the biblical texts from others who have been shaped by experiences significantly different from our own.”

When it comes to understanding scripture, context is king! Part of context is understanding, as much as we are able, the personality types of the characters. Or, at least viewing them through both extrovert and introvert lenses. Doing so can open up new insight into familiar passages.

Many people view Gideon in the Bible as lacking courage. In the next two columns, we’re going to take a closer look at Gideon as an introvert who is truly a mighty warrior of God. Those who think him cowardly are likely looking at his story through the eyes of an extrovert.

Taking the time to understand and appreciate the God-given differences each of us possess is all part of loving others as ourselves and acting with unity as the body of Christ.

 

Agree? Disagree? Love it? Hate it? Have a question about this blog or this post? Email me at Stephen@QuietlyFaithful.com or leave a comment below. Share your story about being a Christian introvert or let me know a specific topic you’d like to see addressed.

#10. Just get over it!

Over the years, introversion has gotten a bad rap, especially in the church. Introverts were viewed as shy, timid, fearful, and a bunch of other not-so-flattering adjectives. Sadly, that’s still the case.

I recently read an article by a pastor/leader that was placed in a prominent online ministry journal. The overall message was intended to encourage congregants to be welcoming to newcomers. A noble and valid topic.

However, the author was specifically addressing those who leaned toward reticence. Those who found it challenging to put themselves out to say hello to strangers. His remedy? He told them to just “get over it.”

In the article he implies those who don’t greet as being cold and unfriendly. He also uses timid, shy, and introvert as synonyms.

Where to begin!?

Introversion is not something to just “get over”

No one ever likes to be told to “just get over it” no matter what “it” is. For introverts (and extroverts) this isn’t even possible. These are traits that are hard-wired into us. While an introvert can choose to act in what are viewed as extroverted ways, we will always be an introvert. Science is on our side, too.

In her book, The Introvert Advantage, Dr, Marti Olsen Laney devotes several pages, with illustrations, explaining the complex physical differences between introverts and extroverts. These involve differences in blood-flow to the brain as well as differing chemical triggers. In short, introverts have longer neural pathways and respond more positively to acetylchlorine rather than dopamine/adrenaline. We can’t just “get over” the unique ways God has fearfully and wonderfully made us. Nor should we try.

Introversion is not the same as timidity and shyness

When it comes to timidity and shyness, these are not characteristics of introverts. They are behaviors, often fear-based, that anyone can exhibit, even extroverts. The fear behind these can be multifaceted and vary from person to person. These are indeed behaviors and states of mind that can be overcome and managed. But even the most extroverted extrovert can be challenged by shyness or timidity. The terms are not at all synonymous with introversion.

Introversion is not an ailment

I shared my thoughts in an email with the author of the article. He still didn’t get it. His response referred to introversion as a “condition.” Viewing introversion this way feeds the wrong idea that introversion is something one can and should “cure.” Introversion is not an ailment that needs fixing.

Thinking wrongly of introversion as a condition or ailment implies that introverts are somehow – in comparison to extroverts – broken, damaged, not-quite-right. It comes from our cultural bias toward extroversion. Churches love extroverted leaders – particularly in the roles of worship and youth leaders. Yet it’s been shown over and over that quiet leaders can be just as effective as not-so-quiet leaders.

Introverts are a gift to the body of Christ

God has created introverts and extroverts to be different for a reason. Extroverts make wonderful, outgoing greeters. Introverts are essential to behind-the-scenes stability. Given that the gifts of the Holy Spirit vary and that each believer has a unique calling, forcing everyone into a single role isn’t scriptural and doesn’t even make sense. We honor God’s creative intentions when we respect the differences each of us brings to his church.

Next week, we’ll look at why all of this is important.

 

Agree? Disagree? Love it? Hate it? Have a question about this blog or this post? Email me at Stephen@QuietlyFaithful.com or leave a comment below. Share your story about being a Christian introvert or let me know a specific topic you’d like to see addressed.

#9. Be ye [resolved] affirmed

Ah, New Year’s day. The time of new beginnings and starting over. We look back on what was and might have been, while looking forward to what we long for. Many of us will write long lists of longings we aim to hit in this shiny new year.

Often these lists grow out of things we want to change from. Our attempts to turn failings into successes. To rid ourselves of perceived bad habits and build new good ones.

How about this year we, instead, we embrace affirmations of who we are as introverts?

Embrace solitude. It’s okay to be alone, to take time to reflect and meditate. In fact, it’s very Christ-like. More than once, scripture tells us that Jesus went off by himself to pray and be alone. He would not only seek solitude, but he would send others away! Matthew 14:23 states clearly, “After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone” (CSB).

Embrace being quiet. The best listening happens when we’re quiet. This is true when we’re one-on-one with a friend, in a small group, or participating in meeting. Being quiet and focusing on others allows us to get a better read on who they are and what’s happening. As Proverbs 13:3 cautions, “The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.” When we do speak, we will speak to what’s needed and our comments will be measured and wise.

Embrace leaving. Interactions, even those we truly enjoy, drain us. When we engage, we tend to engage wholeheartedly. But we know that without taking time to withdraw and recharge, we’ll become ragged and useless. At gatherings, to avoid overstimulation, it’s okay to step aside and regroup. It’s okay to excuse yourself from a heated exchange, to insist on a time out. It’s okay to leave a meeting or party when overwhelmed or exhausted. Hebrews 4:9-11 reminds us, “...a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his.  Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.”

Embrace saying no. No one can do everything or be all things to all people. This is especially true for introverts. Introverts have a driving propensity to help where help is needed. Saying no can be very uncomfortable. But it’s necessary if we want to be effective when we say yes! When confronted with opportunities, we need to bring all our introvert skills to bear to discern where God wants us to be. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”.

Dear fellow introvert, may 2024 be your best year ever! Cheers!

 

Agree? Disagree? Love it? Hate it? Have a question about this blog or this post? Email me at Stephen@QuietlyFaithful.com or leave a comment below. Share your story about being a Christian introvert or let me know a specific topic you’d like to see addressed.