Good Luck Charm

Introduction

Teaching discipline to our children is difficult. Given that we are not always as disciplined as we need to be as adults, it becomes more difficult to properly train our children. Nearly 45 years ago, the Houston Police Department undertook a massive public relations campaign about parenting and raising children. Learning to discipline our own lives is difficult, and then we are given the responsibility of helping our kids learn to discipline themselves. Parenting is a tough assignment.

In Judges 17 and 18 there is a story which should convict us about discipline. Because of the lack of discipline in the lives of the individuals, there are significant consequences. In 17:1-6, a man named Micah steals 1100 silver coins from his mother. She curses the one who stole from her. Micah returns the silver because he doesn’t want to receive the curse. The mother praises her son for his honesty. Doesn’t that seem strange? She then takes the silver and says that it is to be set aside for God. The silver is to be used to make idols for worship. Then in verse 4 she uses only 200 of the 1100. The son steals money. The mother praises him for returning the money. The mother promises the money to be used to violate the commands of God; only part of it used. Is this family confused about right and wrong? Verse 6 is the reason: “everyone did as he saw fit.”

Without discipline we do what we want. Without discipline we follow our instincts, desires, and feelings. Without discipline we do what pleases us rather than listening to God. Our lesson today will focus on the consequences because of the lack of discipline. There are numerous instances in these two chapters with just a few main characters showing how the lack of discipline makes a significant impact on the lives of these individuals.

Story

Micah takes the silver images along with an ephod and installs one of his sons as priest. This shrine in his house is a direct violation of God’s law. No idols, no priest except from the tribe of Levi, only those from a certain family to serve as priests, the tabernacle is in Shiloh. A young Levite from Bethlehem comes to Micah’s house. He is searching for a place to live. According to Joshua 21, depending upon which family this young Levite is from, God has already given them a number of cities to live in. Bethlehem is not one of them. Now this Levite is looking for another place to live. God’s will being violated yet again. Micah asks the Levite if he would be willing to stay and serve as his very own priest. The Levite will be paid in clothes, food, shelter, and 10 silver coins each year. He agrees. This is not what God wants.

Look at verse 13: “Now the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.” Micah sees God as his good luck charm. Say the right words, wave your hand just right, make sure you have a man of God in your home and God is now obligated to do what he wants. Is God obligated to our bidding? Some think that reading, praying, and church attending will make God sit up and take notice. I have heard some talk about the Lord’s Supper as a magic potion. What Micah does is not different than our superstitions—from knocking on wood to reading our horoscope to being afraid of the number 13, we act as if certain actions will prevent bad luck or that God will bring good things. God is not a good luck charm. We cannot manipulate God and his will. God is God and as his people we serve and walk by faith.

For awhile the arrangement between Micah and this young Levite continues. The tribe of Dan is looking for a place to settle. According to Joshua 19, God has already given them land. It is close to the Mediterranean Sea with Joppa as its capital city. The tribe sends out spies to find new land. They come to Micah’s place and ask the Levite if their journey will be successful. The priest answers that God is with them. They go to Laish which is far to the north. They return home, amass their army and march to the far north. Along the way they stop and ask the Levite to go with them. Micah is upset that they would take his priest, but he is powerless to do anything. The tribe of Dan destroys the city of Laish and establishes a place to call home. The young Levite becomes the priest for the entire tribe. And it is in 18:30 that we are told that this young Levite is named Jonathan and he is from the lineage of Moses.

Application

These two chapters have several episodes demonstrating the lack of discipline. The mother who gives money her son stole from her back to him. Micah setting up idols in his household anticipating God’s favor as he breaks God’s commands. Look at the tribe of Dan. God gave them land to dwell in, but instead they do not fight for the land and go to the far north to settle. They fight for a piece of land which will be easy to overtake. They take the path of least resistance. And isn’t that what the lack of discipline is really all about—taking the path of least resistance?

Household budgets are stretched to the max because we don’t discipline ourselves. Schedules run us in all directions because we don’t discipline ourselves. Faith suffers because we don’t discipline ourselves. Look at 18:31. The tribe of Dan used the idols while the house of God was in Shiloh. They went to the north. In order to get to the north, they had to go around Shiloh. When we do what we want to do, we find all kinds of reasons to avoid the truth and to listen to God.

The tribe of Dan had two choices: do the will of God or follow their own desires. Choosing the latter, they not only disobeyed God but they took the path of ease and comfort. My fear is that too often we do the same thing and believe that the path of comfort is God’s will for our lives. The problem for most of us is that we will carve out a Laish for our lives. Then the call of Jesus to radical transformation is of no effect. Who needs change when we can sleep? Who needs sacrifice when comfort is ours? We are not called to a life of ease. The cross is not about comfort. No lover of God can retire from the mission of the cross. What is the outcome of choosing comfort and ease over the radical transformation which God wants?

Turn to 1 Chronicles. Written after Jewish exile in Babylon, Chronicles chronicles the history of Israel through the different genealogies. Turn to chapter 4. There were 12 sons of Jacob. Joseph’s boys Manasseh and Ephraim took his spot. The Levites were not given a section of land but sections of land within each tribe. God divided the land between each of the other boys and their families. Beginning in 1 Chronicles 4 the tribes are listed upon their return from exile. One name is missing: the tribe of Dan. What happened to them? Let’s take it one step further. Turn to Revelation 7. Without getting into all the interpretations of this particular passage, we are introduced to the 144,000 who belong to God. One tribe is missing—Dan. Is this coincidence? I don’t think so. They chose the easy way—the path of comfort and ease—and as a result God does not honor them later with recognition.

One more thing. Jonathan is Moses’ descendent but coming from such stock doesn’t guarantee faithfulness. Later scribes changed this name from Moses to Manasseh, but such a change doesn’t alter the truth. Discipline is required to pass on our faith. We have a mission—and it comes from a cross and an empty tomb. It is a mission which demands sacrifice, at times discomfort, the hard road, and making a difference in this world. Like the tribe of Dan you have two choices—follow God’s will or follow your own preferences. Which will you choose?

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