Judges 8:22

Judges 8:22 says, Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.  The people of Israel asked Gideon to rule over them, and his son and grandson after him, because he had delivered them from the Midianites.  We aren't told that they prayed about this, and they were giving Gideon credit for what God had done.  Today, we as followers of Christ need to pray as we elect leaders, if we have that choice, and need to never give credit to anyone for what God has done.  Verse twenty-three adds, And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.  Gideon set them straight by saying that neither he nor his sons would reign over them, but that God would.  There are people today who say that they alone can rule a country, and very often they leave God out of it.  Verse twenty-four continues, And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)  Gideon then asked the men to give him all the earrings that they had taken from their enemies, who were Ishmaelites, after they had slain them.  We today should give everything that we gain to God, to be used as He guides us to do.  Verse twenty-five states, And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.  The people of Israel said that they would willingly give them, then spread a blanket and put the earrings on it.  (Though I never will, evidently men wore earrings even way back then.)  We need to willingly give everything to God, but I believe that we also have a responsibility to make sure that what we give is going to be used for God's purpose and glory, and not for some individual's enrichment.  Verse twenty-six adds, And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.  There was a lot of gold in all that they had siezed, plus other valuables that they surrendered willingly.  No matter how much we may gain from doing God's work today, we must willingly give it back to Him and not believe that it is ours to do with as we so desire.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.  Gideon made an ephod out of the gold,and hung it in Ophrah, and people began to worship it, and it became a snare to Gideon and his sons.  If we begin to worship material things that God blesses us with today, instead of worshipping God, they will become a snare to us also.