High Risk; High Reward

As women who are followers of Christ, we often face difficulties – not just in our physical circumstances, but also in our spiritual lives. Because of this, it is important that we have positive role models to follow and encourage us to take that leap of faith in living a godly life. 

This is the first blog in a series of women who were and are strong examples of strength and devotion. For the next few weeks, we will be looking at some female leaders from the Bible – get ready for some eye-opening stories!

For our initial blog, let’s take a look at a woman who, at the risk of her reputation and her own life, held firm in her convictions to do the right thing for the sake of the tribes of Israel. At first glance, her actions may seem a little harsh, and scandalous even, but her belief and trust in God gave her courage and strength that she may not have known she had. 

You may be thinking, “Who on earth is Jael?” Good question!  Jael was a woman who is mentioned in Judges but could easily be overlooked because there isn’t much said about her. But even though her historical role may seem insignificant due to the limited information we have, her actions of faith were recorded in the Old Testament. 

Jael’s story is quite fascinating because it sounds like it could be a modern-day mystery novel complete with a villain, a strong female lead, acts of treachery, deceit, and even murder! Okay…are you ready for this? Hold onto your hat – you’re in for a juicy story!

Here is Some Background:

During the time of Judges, the Israelis fell into a cycle of obedience/disobedience in their relationship with God. Due to the pattern of disobedience, Israel frequently faced high levels of turmoil and anxiety because of what we might call today “property disputes,” but these conflicts could have been avoided if the Jewish people had listened to and followed God’s direction in the first place. This saga of a war-torn land, corruption, and multitudes of deaths brought overwhelming uncertainty about the future because the Israeli army was smaller than their opposition and seemed to be too weak to fight off the opposition. 

In this particular story, the Jewish people were now repenting for their disobedience which had led them to 20 years of captivity in a Canaanite kingdom. So, God, being just and merciful, forgave them and began intervening on their behalf. 

Enter Sisera – a.k.a. the “Villain”

Sisera was a commander of the opposing Canaanite army which was well-equipped for battle. This was bad news for the band of Israelites who didn’t have an extensive armory at their disposal. So…you can be sure that Sisera “took care” of the problem… this guy was ruthless. BUT – unbeknownst to our “favorite bad guy,” God heard the cries of the Jewish people and was preparing to give them victory.

Guess what happened next…The small Israeli army miraculously started winning battles in their path to freedom. So much so that Sisera’s army was eventually completely destroyed which left him alone and looking for a place to hide. 

The Ultimate Scandal?

What did he do? He somehow made his way to Jael’s tent because he was a friend of the family…but Jael’s husband wasn’t home. If Jael let him stay there, it would definitely be a scandal that would “go viral” as there was usually only one major reason a woman would let a man other than her husband in the tent… She was risking her reputation, but God had a plan.

Jael confidently agreed to this situation and let Sisera into the tent. They chatted for a while and then she took good care of him – gave him something to eat and drink, and she even let him go to sleep because he was exhausted. Sounds sweet, right?

NOT A CHANCE!

When Jael was sure that Sisera was sawing logs, she gathered some tent pegs and a hammer. No, she wasn’t planning a remodeling project; she was going to be sure that the villain would never come against the Jewish people again. She took those items and used them to kill Sisera! She hammered a tent peg right through his head! Jael risked everything to save the people of Israel.

Application

This Bible snippet isn’t condoning killing political enemies (or even random campers); it is showing how following God can lead us to make wise decisions even when it seems risky. Jael may not necessarily have been in a direct ministry, but she showed leadership by taking action, regardless of the outcome, on what she knew was the right thing to do. 

Is there something God is asking you to do that seems either too difficult or challenging? Spend some time truly seeking His wisdom and advice. We can’t go wrong when we follow His path for us.