God’s assignment for any life will often follow procedure; it will be progressive, and it will also be cumulative. God’s ultimate assignment for Gideon was to deliver the children of Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. However, he was not going to get to that ultimate without first taking care of some fundamentals. The fundamental step was for him to destroy a particular altar of Baal and the wooden image beside it. The altar was raised by his father and had become some form of tradition and a rallying point for the entire household. That tradition had no place in the new life and task to which Gideon had been recruited. While he was willing to obey the Lord, he had his fears. He was wary of what his father’s household could do to him; so he executed the instructions of the Lord at night.

Bold action on your part may be an inspiration to those who are afraid of those traditions to come close to your God.

Believers are often confronted with one major problem while they try to take on obsolete and godless traditions. That problem is fear. It could be fear of what the custodians of those traditions would say. It could also be fear of what the deities would do. What we should remember is that God will never send on an errand without having our backs. If you find yourself having to confront ungodly traditions, never be afraid. The battle is the Lord’s and He will defend you. Bold action on your part may be an inspiration to those who are afraid of those traditions to come close to your God.