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Years ago, a man sued his parents for $350,000. He claimed they botched his upbringing, resulting in him needing psychiatric treatment. By contrast, the University of Nebraska’s research identified traits that produce strong families. They found that strong families show appreciation to one another; deal with crises positively; spend time together; listen to each other; stay committed to one another; and have strong spiritual values. Yet in the book of Judges chapter 11, we read about a man whose mother was a street woman. Despite his poor background, he turned out well because he chose to follow the Lord. As a result, he became a judge over his people. His name was Jephthah. After becoming judge, his first task was to defend his country against an invading enemy. He tried to avoid war by negotiating an agreement with the enemy, but they refused to negotiate, and in the battle that followed, God helped Jephthah win. Choosing to do the will of God is always the best choice, whether we are fortunate to have godly parents or whether we learn God’s ways from some other teacher.
