Jumping on perhaps

I love the multi-faceted gem that is God’s word, and how it never ceases to offer new insights into stories that have been read again and again. This week, I was reminded of a verse in 1 Samuel 14 that spoke deeply to me 20 years ago as I prepared to leave a full-time (paid) staff position at a church to step into a new season as a full-time (but unpaid) traveling preacher. I’m including what I wrote then in its entirety to add the context for the new light the Holy Spirit is shining on it for me now.

Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.” (1 Samuel 14:6, emphasis mine)

Every so often I run across words and phrases in the Bible that jump out at me and scream, “HEY! LOOK AT ME!” This verse has one. But before we get to it, let me ask you a question: do you like to take risks? In fairness, some of us are a lot more willing to take risks than others. For some of you, ordering a different dish off the menu at your favorite restaurant is about as risky as you care to be. For others, you’re ready to jump out of the airplane without checking to see if your chute is even packed correctly.

I believe God created us to be risk-takers because all through the Bible God called people to risky things. He called Peter out of a boat onto water, Jonathan up a hill to an outnumbered fight, David away from the herd to a giant and Jesus off the throne and onto a cross. We serve a God who is into risky propositions and, if we’re honest, He’s stirred our hearts to pursue one or two. That’s why whenever we see the images of a mission field or hear of some great heroic act, we always think that what they’re doing is worthwhile and something we could give our lives to. It’s just that we talk ourselves out of the risk and in the process we lose the reward.

Jonathan took a risk, and that leads us to the one word in this verse that screams at me: perhaps. Jonathan didn’t have to have it all figured out to act. He saw an opportunity, knew he had something to offer and took a chance. “Maybe,” he reasoned, “God will pull off something great.” But you can rest assured that he was going to the fight. He took a risk, and at the end of the chapter we find that he — along with Israel — found great reward.

Over the past 2 years, our family has felt the call to take a risk. God has stirred our hearts to the incredible need among His body for renewed hope and passion in times of pain, and He has cut us deeply in personal tragedy so that He could plant deep within us the message to take to them. We are compelled to do — as Jonathan did — the unthinkable, the risky. The opportunity is too great to ignore, and perhaps God will pull off something phenomenal for His glory and renown. Perhaps God will open doors for us to speak, perhaps He will move on people’s hearts to support our ministry, perhaps He will speak though us to a generation.

For the risk-takers, perhaps is all the opening we need.

20 years later, after years of ministry as both a traveling preacher and a church planter, I have a different perspective about the real hero in that story, and it’s not Jonathan.

It’s the armor bearer.

“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭14‬:‭7‬, emphasis mine)

It’s commendable that Jonathan jumped on perhaps, but it’s mind-blowing that his armor bearer followed a leader who jumped on perhaps. Not only did he follow him, but the rest of the story reveals a race to the top. This armor bearer stayed right behind Jonathan, as if he didn’t want to miss out on any of what God might do because of Jonathan’s simple obedience.

We know the rest of the story, and so it’s easy to overlook how that armor bearer’s “yes” to Jonathan’s “perhaps” was risky, foolish, and ultimately the answer that put both of those men exactly where God wanted them to be.

They both jumped on perhaps, and they landed on a half-acre filled with God’s glory and a victory that only God could have given.

That same God will do the same today for all the brave ones who say yes to a maybe, and for all the braver ones who say yes to supporting them.

So let’s go! Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf.

Spoiler alert: he will.

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

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