A reflection on Judges 10:1–5; 11:1, 3, 5–9
Bishop Brian Bwalya – Resident Pastor, Word of Life Christian Fellowship
Every believer eventually comes to a moment when it is time to break camp and move forward. But progress does not happen simply because we have waited long enough or feel that our turn has come. The Scripture reminds us that although God is the one who lifts us, leads us forward, and calls us into excellence, He works with people who deliberately position themselves before Him. A sincere heart matters, but sincerity alone cannot make up for being in the wrong position.
This is the heart of the study: personal responsibility is not separate from divine promotion; it helps prepare us for it. God is fully able to lift a life. The question is whether we are ready and rightly positioned to receive what He wants to give.
You can advance through having an exceptional approach to life.
In the book of Judges, we meet three men whose lives, when viewed together, teach us something important about human potential: Tola, Jair, and Jephthah. Their stories show us three broad approaches to life — average, above average, and exceptional. Tola lived an average life. Jair went beyond the ordinary. Jephthah stood out because he chose an exceptional path.
This pattern is not limited to the book of Judges. We see it whenever people share the same environment, calling, or opportunity: among leaders, within congregations, and between colleagues working under similar conditions. Jesus’ parable of the talents makes the same point: people can receive similar opportunities and still produce very different results. Often, the real difference is not the opportunity itself, but how each person responds to it. Let us look more closely at what sets these three approaches apart.
A. Characteristics of the Different Approaches to Life
1. Average — Judge Tola
Tola’s story may feel familiar. He was born, stepped into his role, settled down, raised a family, grew old, and died. There is nothing wrong or dishonourable about such a life, but there is also little that makes it memorable. An average person does what is required, meets the basic expectations of the role, and keeps things going without trying to move them forward.
Ordinary people are often restrained by a quiet fear of the unknown. That fear can lead them to bury the talent entrusted to them and explain the decision with excuses that sound reasonable. They tend to see obstacles before opportunities and accept limits that someone with a different mindset would question. Over time, they may become casual about life, no longer deeply concerned about whether anything meaningful comes from it. Their desire to avoid discomfort and protect what feels familiar can point to a deeper insecurity. As a result, they leave behind little that others feel compelled to remember.
You have to break the average barrier.
Ultimately, ordinary people do not fully embrace life; they simply move through it. We cannot truly break camp and move forward while holding on to an average way of thinking.
2. Above Average — Jair
Jair’s story tells us more than Tola’s because Jair did more than simply fill a position. He built on what came before him and went further. That is one sign of an above-average person: they do not continue doing something merely because it has always been done that way.
Above-average people are often recognised by three qualities: vision, passion, and a strong sense of responsibility. Instead of merely reacting to problems, they look for possibilities and develop ideas. Even when circumstances are difficult, they can still imagine a way forward. They do not wait for someone else to shape the world around them; they accept their part in shaping it. Jair is remembered for thirty sons who rode thirty donkeys and governed thirty towns. His vision extended beyond his own life and reached his household, ensuring that what he built did not end with him.
Above-average people live for something larger than themselves and leave behind something of value. Building that kind of legacy takes passion, because very little of lasting significance is achieved without it. It also takes personal responsibility. Instead of blaming others for the direction of their lives, they own their choices and commit themselves to growth. This is why organisations value them: they become skilled and dependable in their work rather than remaining casual participants.
3. Exceptional — Jephthah
An exceptional person is rarely easy to describe in just a few words. An average life may be summed up in a single line, but an exceptional life often fills page after page because there is so much more to tell. To understand Jephthah properly, we first need to appreciate the story and circumstances that shaped him.
Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him. – Judges 11:1, 3 (NIV)
Exceptional people refuse to be defined by their limitations. Jephthah experienced rejection and exile, but he did not allow either one to determine how his story would end. He rose above those circumstances and became a mighty warrior. This is what makes exceptional people different: they are shaped less by what has happened around them and more by what God has placed within them.
Exceptional people are willing to look beyond familiar boundaries. They are guided by principle, strengthened by discipline, and committed to doing their work with excellence and skill. Their leadership does more than attract attention; it produces visible change in the lives of those around them. Instead of merely pointing out what is wrong, they ask how they can help make it right. They value wisdom, choose what is right over what is convenient, and are prepared to go where others have not gone before. Their influence can continue long after they are gone through the example, lessons, and legacy they leave behind. At the heart of it all is a deep commitment to God — a quality we see clearly in Jephthah’s story.
Dare to be exceptional.
Break the average barrier — most people are average, and it is always crowded at the bottom.
It is good to be above average. But it is better to be exceptional.
