Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.’” (Judges 7:2, NLT)

God is intentional about His glory—He does not share it with anyone. This principle is seen again in the life of . After winning a great battle, Abraham refused to take the spoils offered to him, choosing instead that others benefit. His reason was clear: he did not want anyone to say they made him rich. He understood that his success came from God alone.

In the same way, God addressed . In warfare, strength is usually measured by numbers and skill—the more warriors, the better the chances of victory. But God turned that logic upside down. He reduced Gideon’s army so that the victory would unmistakably be attributed to Him. God was teaching Gideon to rely not on human ability, but on divine power.

This echoes the words of : “He must increase, but I must decrease.” God was shifting Gideon’s focus away from self-dependence and toward total trust in Him.

Today, many of us are like Gideon before the lesson. We lean heavily on our skills, knowledge, connections, finances, and careful planning. While these things are not wrong, they can quietly take God’s place in our hearts. Sometimes, God allows reduction—less help, fewer resources, smaller numbers—so that we can clearly see that the victory comes from Him alone.

You may feel like you don’t have enough, but perhaps God is saying, “You have too many warriors.” Not because you are strong, but because He wants to show that He is your strength.

Reflection:
Where have you been relying more on your own strength than on God? Could it be that God is removing certain “supports” in your life to draw you closer to Him? Sometimes, less is God’s way of doing more.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to trust You completely. Strip away every form of self-reliance that competes with my dependence on You. Teach me to decrease so that You may increase in my life. Let every victory I experience point back to Your power and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a fruitful day,
(Dr.) Emmanuel Okoro
(aka Dr. Lift)

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