Judges 7:13, KJV
And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it so that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
When Gideon was charged to go up and fight the Midianites, they were a vast number with many chariots, horses, weapons, and strength. So, you can imagine his reservations about going forward with only 300 men because such few men were no match for the thousands of fierce fighters they were about to face. Therefore, God told him to sneak into the enemy’s camp, and there he would hear that which was needed to give him the necessary courage.
Barley is known as a poor man’s grain and was ridiculed by wealthy nations because its coarseness makes it difficult to eat. The Midianites took great courage in how well they fed their armies and attributed this to their ability to win over their enemies. The British made this same mistake, as they thought that oats were only good enough for their horses and the Scots. Although barley is a humble grain, it has many great qualities, and its high fiber content guards against gastrointestinal and gallbladder problems. Barley also contains high amounts of phosphorus and calcium, which provide the necessary nutrients for strong bones, while its flavonoids fight cancer, and its niacin lowers cholesterol and protects the heart. Often, we overlook the importance of the little things, opting instead for the sumptuous delicacies of life. However, sooner or later, we find that those seemingly unimportant things we made fun of are the very backbone of what is required to win the many wars we will fight in life.
