He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. – Judges 12:14

Today's Scripture Reading (March 23, 2022): Judges 12

Political leaders come from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds. And it should be that way. It almost seems obvious that if our political leaders are going to lead our nations, representing the people, there should be people elected from among all the people groups of the nation. And while that makes sense intellectually, it is often harder than it at first sounds. And evidence of that difficulty is found in that minorities have been historically underrepresented throughout our histories. If there is an appropriate use of gerrymandering, which seems to have become epidemic in contemporary politics, it might be to ensure that our governments reflect the populations they serve.

God inspired Judges to deliver his people from the oppression of their times. But there was not just one image or set of qualifications for a judge. Deborah was a woman; Samson was a Nazirite from birth, someone who was supposed to have an especially close relationship with God (although, as we read through his story, we find that Samson often struggled with that relationship like us.) Samuel was a man of great wisdom who grew up watching Israel during one of its most corrupt eras. Gideon was a timid farmer. They came from various tribes and towns, united only in the calling they had received to rule over Israel, or a portion of Israel, during a time of crisis. Some ruled for relatively short periods of time, but others led the nation for longer periods. 

And Abdon, the son of Hillel, was wealthy and likely a Judge called from a privileged class of people in the nation. And while we might know quite a lot about someone like Gideon, we know relatively little about Abdon other than his wealth. But children, grandchildren, and donkeys were all evidence of the way that God had blessed Abdon. And Abdon took his blessing and served Israel at God's request for eight years. In this time of crisis, it was Abdon's turn to lead the nation into the safe space that God wanted to give to his people.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 13