[One-Verse Meditation]

Judges 9:15 (NIV) “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’”

[Meditation]

When he hears the news that Abimelech has become king, Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, goes to the top of Mount Gerizim. That mountain was originally the ‘mountain of blessing,’ but from there he pronounces a curse on Shechem through a parable. When the trees try to anoint a king for themselves, the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine all refuse the position. Their reason is consistent: “My purpose is to honor God and people, so why should I give that up to go and hold sway over the trees?”

This is the blessed confession of one who has discovered their mission in God. But the fruitless thornbush was different. It eagerly becomes king and lords it over the trees. It boasts of its worthless shade, which cannot even cover a small face, commands others to take refuge in it, and threatens to burn down anyone who does not obey. The height of pride and self-love—this is the naked reality of Abimelech and the world that anointed him king.

This parable resonates deeply with us today. The world compares and competes for dominance over trivial points of pride, but from God’s perspective, it is all in vain. It is when we realize that all our boasts are as futile as the shade of a thornbush that we can finally confess as the Apostle Paul did:

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 6:14).

Only then can we enjoy true freedom, not by craving the position of a king, but by being content and joyful with the fruits of the life given to us. Those who live this way today are the ‘saints.’

[Prayer]

Lord, this is grace: that You show me my boasts are nothing more than the shade of a thornbush, and that from that very place of despair, You allow me to boast in Christ Jesus, who is my jewel. Let my steps today be taken in this grace. Amen.
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(Daily Reading)

Judges 9:7-25