Gideon was an unlikely leader.  He was in the middle of “threshing wheat in a winepress” to hide it from some folks (Judges 6:11) when an angel of the Lord called him a “mighty warrior” (NIV)/ “mighty man of valour” (KJV) in Judges 6:12.  That same angel also told Gideon that the Lord was with him.  Gideon’s response to all of this?  Questions.  The Lord responded with some “big picture” action items, but also reminded Gideon that He (the Lord) was with him.  Gideon’s response?  More questions and doubt.  Gideon even threw in some excuses.  Here God was calling him to be a leader in a battle, and Gideon’s excuse was that the people in his group were weak and he was the “least” in the family.  The Lord responded again stating that He was with Gideon and also gave Gideon a glimpse of what was going to happen…and it was major.  Gideon’s response? He asked the Lord to give him a sign to make sure it was really the Lord talking to him.  The Lord gave Gideon a sign and even gave him more information about what was to come – that Gideon wouldn’t die in all of this.  God told Gideon to do some more things in Judges 6:25-26.  Gideon’s response?  He did what God told him to do, but did it at night because he was afraid of his family and townspeople.  (Spoiler alert: The people found out it was Gideon who did it anyway.)  Gideon went on to ask the Lord for a few more signs.  The Lord gave him the signs.

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