Identity Shift

One of my favorite examples of identity shift is when God visits Gideon who is hiding from the Midianites in a wine press trying to thresh enough wheat to feed his family. This guy was doing the best he perceived he could under the circumstances. God meets him there in the wine press and calls him out using all three of the foundational identities.

He says "The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor!" Gideon goes on to proclaim his own perception and remind him that He's got the wrong Gideon. "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." It wasn't that He didn't believe God was mighty. He knew the works of the Lord but his personal perception of self was completely based on earthly standards.

Look at this. God calls out the third identity in Gideon while assuring him of God's identity as faithful. God promises that He will be with him all the way through. Gideon then asks for several signs just to be sure that it is God talking. I mean wow!

Even more amazing is that God loves you so much that He is willing to show Himself in your unbelief. He is not afraid of our personal perceived limitations. In fact I believe God uses us in our small thinking to glorify His name. If Gideon was a self made mighty man of valor then everyone would expect him to defeat the Midianites. Even Gideon himself was amazed as the prophecy spoken came to fruition.