Not more than three verses into today’s reading and my thought is – “What in the world were they thinking?” Really, have they not been paying attention? We’ve read enough of the Bible to know creating an idol, establishing their own religion, and hiring their own priest – this will not turn out well. What were they thinking?

But by verse six, it becomes clear: Everyone did as they saw fit. And isn’t that the problem? How often my first thought is not my best thought and my first act is a thoughtless act. I am not at my best and certainly not functioning at a level that would make God proud when I am thinking, speaking and functioning as I see fit. But I used to think I was!

We don’t have to finish the book of Judges to know there is a problem that the people cannot fix themselves. And the problem is that they are living as they want. God is no longer part of their decision making.

Instead I want to be a letter of recommendation written with the Spirit of the living God. The developing story in Judges – I don’t want to be that. That’s the story of lives headed for trouble, lives focused on themselves. I want Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 3. I want to be a life that becomes God’s letter of recommendation – don’t you? To be someone whose first thought and first act has become the Spirit of God living within me. A letter that does not fade with time and is not easily deleted.

I know the importance of recommendations. I am wondering about today. Would your thoughts and deeds of this day be worthy of such a recommendation? What about tomorrow?