Great Catch...Oh No He Fumbled It!

Judges 8:22-27(NKJV)

22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

23But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” 

When I read that I though "Yeah Gideon, way to go.  Turning down the chance to be king and directing the Israelites back to God. ". 

Sometimes when I am watching football I will see a guy make a great catch, and then just as quickly lose control and not complete the catch.  You know the feeling you get when you see that happen?  That is how I felt as I read the next part.

24Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

25So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder. 

26Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. 

27Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

To complete the football analogy, he makes the catch and with the best of intentions he's fighting for more yardage and he fumbles the ball, Oh no!

The first part demonstrates to me that Gideon's heart was in the right place.  He turns down the opportunity to be King and directs them back to God.   So when he asked for the earing's I don't think he was seeking to enrich himself at all.  I think that he thought he was doing a good and honorable thing in building this memorial for what God had done for them. 
 

Unfortunately he may have forgotten something else.  Didn't God warn against building alters other than in the temple or something like that?  What happened is that people started worshipping it instead of God. 

Here is the lesson that I draw from this.  We need to be ever careful that we stay focused on God.  What's the best way to do that?  By asking Jesus to come into your life and guide you.  Have you done that yet?  If not then why not right now?  Have a conversation with Jesus right now.  Simply ask Him to take control.  "Dear Jesus…."