Short Circuit

He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.  Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the LORD. (1 Samuel 7:16-17 NASB)

 Eventually, 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel split off to form their own country with their own king.  But it's possible to see this as simply the extension of constantly living apart from the other two anyway.  Samuel's circuit makes a circle within the territory of the Tribe of Ephraim.  Beth El is the farthest north he goes.  Gilgal, Mizpah, and Ramah (which is the town where Samuel's Ephraimite father is from) are all Ephraimite towns.  This central highlands region was nominally in the center of all the tribes.

This wasn't the case for every judge, but it wasn't unusual either.  Deborah judged Israel within the same region, and there were judges from Judah (Ehud) and from Issachar (Tola), so all regions were represented to a degree.  It just seems a short circuit to judge all of Israel.  Later on in chapter 8, Samuel puts his two sons in positions of judge but far south.  It's as if he realizes that he should cover more territory. 

The problem with assessing this as an error or problem is that it worked.  It looks small when looked at on a map, but the comment is that God delivered Israel from their enemies all the days of Samuel.  It may have been a small regional judging circuit, but it seemed to work.  That still needs to be balanced against a mere "pragmatic" evaluation, because just because something works doesn't make it the right thing.  But here Samuel chooses a process and God blesses it.  That does make it the right thing.  It make look small, but God makes it effective.

The lesson I draw from this is that my own wisdom fails before my Master's designs.  Just because a plan looks small, or a program appears to be inadequate, or even when my service seems inconsequential, it is not right for me to judge them as such.  If Jesus can feed 5,000 with a few loaves and fish, then why would it seem impossible or even improbable that He would do great things with what I have to offer Him?  The goal is to be obedient with what He has provided me, the talents, the silver, and the opportunities.  It's up to my Master to bring about the success.

If what I have is sufficient for success, then I get the attention.  But if what I have to offer is clearly not sufficient, and success comes anyway, then my Master gets the attention.  I may be given a small territory to travel and work, but that limitation is not something limiting my Master.  It never takes Him by surprise, it doesn't thwart His designs, and such things are actually opportunities for Him to take center stage.

So while it may seem un-American to be happy about limitations and small-ness, perhaps these are what makes my Master's work more obvious.  Perhaps it is my weakness that enables His glory to show more clearly.  After all, it will never be any sort of ability of mine that saves anyone, so drawing any attention to me only endangers those people around me needing my Master.  The role I play is servant, His role is King; everyone look to the King!