Sisters Bible Study for Women - A Mile in Her Shoes - Participant's Workbook

Lessons From the Lives of Old Testament WomenBy Sheron C. Patterson

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2005 The United Methodist Publishing House
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-687-74111-3

Chapter One

Week One: Deborah—Lessons on Leadership

Readings for the Week: Judges 4:1-23; 5:1-3 DAY ONE: RISING UP IN OPPRESSIVE TIMES

Judges 4:1-3

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. So the LORD sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.

God moves in mysterious ways. Hardships and hard times can be God's catalyst for positive change. Leaders are produced in difficult times. Who would think that the reign of an oppressive king like Jabin would generate a leader like Deborah? Jabin was the Canaanite king, and Sisera was his cruel army commander. Sisera was infamous for the violence that his nine hundred iron chariots produced. The Israelites were allowed to suffer greatly at the hands of Sisera because they were being punished by God. The first few verses of Chapter 4 tell their story: "The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.... So the LORD sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan" (verses 1-2). Despite this punishment, God was also merciful. God elevated the capable Deborah to lead during these hard times, and her leadership significantly influenced the people to return to God.

In the midst of the oppression, God appointed Deborah to be a leader by serving as a judge. She was one of six judges who guided Israel after the time of the patriarchs and before the time of kings. She was probably the only female judge because women in her society were not permitted to have leadership roles. Old Testament judges were different from the judges we see in our legal system today. They were not elected or officially appointed. They were selected by God from the general population to rule the people and lead them back to righteousness. They served as administrators who helped organize and facilitate the workings of the community. They settled disputes and administered justice. In times of threat, they helped mobilize the Israelite armies to fight. Therefore their tasks were both political and religious; and their leadership helped insure the social, religious, and political stability.

Deborah demonstrates how we can take the negative situations in our lives and use them to propel rather than sink us. It has been said that birds, such as eagles, effectively gain their altitude when they ascend against resistant winds. Aerodynamically the colliding forces lift the birds higher into the skies. Birds do not fear resistance; instead they use it to their advantage. So can we.

Attributes such as power, presence, and persistence may be common during good times, but what about when lives are at stake? We are human; and during difficult times our survival instinct says, Go hide and ride out the storms until safety comes. Safety makes us relax, while trouble makes us tense.

Deborah shows us how to lead despite challenging conditions. God has the proven ability to turn the unfavorable into the favorable. You too are a leader. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and are assigned tasks both large and small. You have the God-given ability to lead others, or maybe yourself, out of a bad situation. However you must seize this power with faith, just as Deborah did.

Reflecting and Recording

Do you agree that turbulent times create leaders? If so, make a list of characteristics that hard times produce in leaders.

Are you facing a difficult situation in your own life that may prompt you into leadership? What will be required of you to step forward?

Have you ever hidden or run from trouble? Why? Looking back, how could you have changed the situation?

DAY TWO: EFFECTIVE LEADERS ARE IN TOUCH WITH GOD

Judges 4:4-7

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you, `Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thouand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.'"

Are you busy? Do you have a checklist of places to go, things to do, and people to see all day, every day? You are not alone. I confess that sometimes I wonder if I am coming or going. Full, vigorous lives characterize many women's daily routine. Despite our modern conveniences, we still strain to accomplish all of our daily assignments. Even though our lives are full, there is still room to be a leader, especially one in touch with God.

We can ascertain from the day's text that Deborah was in touch with God despite probably having a busy daily agenda. We know that she was a prophetess, a wife, a mother, and a judge, who kept regular office hours under "the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel" (verse 5). As a judge she made decisions and settled disputes for her people. Imagine the line outside her office. First perhaps was the camel herder who felt the merchant was mistreating him. Next maybe were two landowners who had a border dispute. They all came to Deborah with their problems because she was a person with godly answers.

In the midst of this work, Deborah heard from God that she was to summon the warrior, Barak, into battle against the Canaanites. She heard this godly command because she was connected to God, and she valued what God had to say. We too must be connected to God if we are to hear God's instructions for us. Not only did Deborah hear, but she responded with obedience. Being in touch with God makes all the difference.

Are you connected to God? Imagine if we each had a mechanism that monitored the level of our contact with God. It would be a built-in device that scanned our godly connection. It would hum peacefully when all was well, or blare loudly when we were not as close as we should be. Since we don't have such a device, we must monitor ourselves. I'm not suggesting a sterile piece of equipment but rather an ongoing check that monitors our faith connection. We must continually ask: Have I prayed today? Have I read the Bible today? Have I had a conversation with God today? If we have not been in touch with God, there will be indications such as grumpiness, unexplained anger, and hopelessness. If we have been in touch with God, the bumps and bruises of the day will not hurt us as much as they might absent God's nearness.

Whether our task is to lead groups of people out of a crisis or organize our church's next potluck, we need to be in touch with God. Deborah's godly connection enabled her to play a major role in God's kingdom. When we put God first, all of our other concerns will be met. Begin to check in with God often during the day. If necessary, schedule time with God on your daily planner or calendar. Seek a never-ending conversation with God as you flow through your responsibilities.

Reflecting and Recording

If you monitored your connection with God, what would be the results? What are some of the outward signs of your internal connection?

Why does being busy hinder our relationship with God? What things do you need to remove from your life in order to spend more time with God?

Have you ever attempted to be a leader without God's power in your life? What was the result?

DAY THREE: FLEXIBLE LEADERS UNDERSTAND CHANGE

Judges 4:8-9

Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." And she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Barak insisted that Deborah accompany him into battle, even though the initial request was for him to go alone. Deborah was able to handle the change of plan because she was flexible. Leaders understand that a change of plans can occur when you least expect it. Deborah may have been startled by the request, but she was flexible and able to adapt. Change can catch us off guard sometimes, and change has the ability to knock us off balance. Our relationship with God gives us the needed stability.

I once had a poster prominently displayed on my office wall that read: "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." These are priceless words of wisdom for anyone but particularly for women who serve as leaders. The original plans may change. The original people may not be around when the plan is executed. In such situations change is inevitable. We cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by change, but need to find ways to be energized by it.

Change is not something that people like. In fact, prevailing opinion says that "no one likes change but a baby with a wet diaper." The old ways seem much more comfortable and familiar. Change threatens what we know and believe to be true. I've seen churches turned into battlefields over change. I know you have too.

Even minor changes can throw us into a tizzy if we let them. Let me offer a confession about change. When my neighborhood grocery store changed its checkout system, I was thrown for a loop. When I had shopped the previous week, the cashier took my groceries from my basket, scanned them, and bagged them. The following week, the cashier's job description and equipment had been changed. Suddenly, I had to lift my groceries from the basket and place them on a conveyor belt that reached the clerk. It was a minor change, but it bothered me. I wanted the grocery store to stay the same and was flustered by the change. When something is new and different it causes us to react.

There will always be changes—in your family, work, or church. Something that helps me handle change is the belief that God is with me every step of the way, that I am not alone. God is faithful, and God's promises are true. The beautiful hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," reminds us that there is a constant source of goodness in God, that God never changes or fails us.

I am comforted by the realization of God's unchanging goodness and constant presence. Moreover, I believe that resisting change can inadvertently be a means of resisting God. Resisting can create fear and confusion. When we fight for the old way and rail against the new, we may in fact be hindering a new movement of God. If we trust in God, what is there to fear?

Where would the Israelites be if Deborah had fought and resisted change? I believe that she embraced and accepted change because she was sure that God was in it. The lesson here is that we must have the faith to embrace change, even invite change. We must leave behind our rigid and stiff mindset and become pliable for God's service.

Reflecting and Recording

What types of changes bother you the most? List them and prayerfully consider whether or not you are hindering or helping the movement of God in your life.

Think about a time when your lack of flexibility prevented you from being the leader God planned. What could you have done differently? What did you learn from that situation that will make you more open and adaptable to new challenges and opportunities?

How can God help you with your flexibility toward change?

DAY FOUR: SUCCESSFUL LEADERS WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH MALE CO-WORKERS

Judges 4:10

Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.

Deborah agreed to Barak's request and accompanied him on the God-inspired journey. She worked cooperatively with him, and they became a team. When life places us in circumstances requiring teamwork, it is vital to rely on God. Our feelings can be fickle and erratic. God, however, is a steady, reliable source who, we can be assured, will complete the task.

The notion of teaming with a man for battle may have been a stretch for Deborah. Women were rarely seen on the battlefields of the Old or New Testament. Even rarer were male/female partnerships beyond marriage. But Deborah agreed to this unlikely alliance because the cause of liberating her people no doubt outweighed any personal objections and fears. This noble cause also overrode the cultural practices that kept men and women separate. She had to keep her focus on God. This may have helped her handle any sexism that she encountered from the men in her community.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Sisters Bible Study for Women - A Mile in Her Shoes - Participant's Workbookby Sheron C. Patterson Copyright © 2005 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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