Comment: When Gideon received his commission to deliver the Israelites from bondage, he felt he could not carry out the assignment because his family was poor and he was the youngest in his father’s house. But God used him to defeat the Midianites with only 300 men. (Judges chapters 7 and 8) Saul despised himself, telling Samuel the prophet: “…Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?” (1 Samuel 9:21) But when the spirit of God came into him, he was “turned into another man” and God used him to defeat the Ammonites, leaving no one in doubt as to his leadership abilities. (1 Samuel 9:19-22; 10:6, 7, 9-13; 11:12, 13) Those who are given to doing the will of God are self-motivated. God will put His spirit in them by reason of which they would do things they never thought they could accomplish. Such ones do not need to rely on external validation to assure themselves of their self-worth and therefore of their happiness.  St. Paul declared: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13) “Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God, … Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly…” –  Psalm 108:10-13.