WILLING AND CAPABLE

Judges 9:7-9, 14-15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jotham’s Parable

7 When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted,

“Listen to me, citizens of Shechem!
Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!
8 Once upon a time the trees decided to elect a king.
First they said to the olive tree,
‘Be our king!’
9 But the olive tree refused, saying,
‘Should I quit producing the olive oil
that blesses both God and people,
just to wave back and forth over the trees?’

14 “Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said,
‘Come, you be our king!’
15 And the thornbush replied to the trees,
‘If you truly want to make me your king,
come and take shelter in my shade.
If not, let fire come out from me
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’”


In kingdom building work, God desires those who are both willing and capable to serve. The olive tree is an example of one capable but unwilling. The thornbush represents the willing but incapable.

Ask God to give you a willing heart and grow your character so that you will become the servant, both willing and capable, who is pleasing in God’s sight.