Judges 11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.
Dishonorable or Honorable?
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Some people grow old without ever really living because there is a difference between being born and being alive. Some grow old complaining about what they don’t have or trying to force what they wish to have instead of making the most of what God has given them.
Jephthah is a great example of a man who had a dishonorable birth, but who lived an honorable life. He refused to be a slave to his circumstances, and instead of worrying about what he did not have, he made the most of his God-given lot in life.
Jephthath’s story starts in Judges 11:1 where it says, “Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour.” So here was a man who had some vigor, strength, and some gifting from God, but the verse continues, “And he was the son of an harlot.” Verse 2 says, “And Gilead’s wife bare him sons… and they thrust out Jephthah.” So Gilead’s sons did not want to share an inheritance with a man who was the son of a harlot.
Now what strikes me is how similar and yet how different the life of Jephthah is to the life of Abimelech. Like Jephthah, Abimelech had a less than honorable birth, and he had issues with his brothers. But here is where the difference came. In Jephthah’s case, even after he had been thrust out by his brothers, he returned to lead them when they were in trouble and asked him for help. In the case of Abimelech, he wasn’t asked to lead. He tried to force his way by killing all of his brothers. Both had a less than honorable birth, both were the odd man out, but one of them learned to accept his lot and live an honorable life.
There is a difference between an honorable birth and an honorable life. Some people have a very honorable birth, but they ruin it by making bad decisions and living a dishonorable life. Others are born dishonorably, but live an honorable life. Just because you are born one way or the other does not mean you are doomed to a certain life. Whatever your lot, you have a choice. You have a will, and God has a plan. God does not judge us for what we do not have, but He holds us to account for what we do with what we have. Living a life of honor is so much better and significant than having a birth of honor.