though possibly not. It
looks as though only a small minority of all had responded, maybe one in
six or so.

These men had the first great qualification for service, they were
willing. They were actively willing. They willed to come down to the front
and help fight the enemy, and deliver their nation. It is a great quality
this of being willing. That prophetic One Hundred and Tenth Psalm mentions
this as the great characteristic of those who shall rally about God's King
in a coming day of power. God reckons our service not by our ability but
by our willingness.[31]

Whatever is given out of a warm, willing heart is eagerly accepted by
Him. The Hebrew tabernacle was constructed of free-will offerings. The
people came willingly with their offerings and left them for Moses' use.
Some brought gold and silver, some finely woven tapestries and silks. Here
was one poor woman who wanted to give but had very little. So she went out
to her little flock of goats whereby her living came to her, and cut off a
big bunch of goat's hair, and then with much pains dyed it red.

And then one day she went up to where they were presenting their gifts and
timidly laid her bunch of goat's hair on the pile of offerings, and
quietly, quickly slipped away. It seemed very small on that pile of gold
and silver and richly-colored weavings. But it was the gift of her heart.
They had to have goat's hair as well as gold. And her offering was
acceptable because it came from a willing heart. Willingness is a heart
quality. It is the heart volunteering.

"Our wills are ours to make them Thine."

This was the first test. Thirty-two thousand out of four tribes stood this
test. Gideon's army had one great qualification at the start.

Courageous Volunteers.

Now these men are put to a second test. The next morning God surprised
Gideon by telling him that he had too many men. If a victory was given
them with so many men they would feel that they had done the thing
themselves. They would grow so large as to shut God out of their
landscape. There would be no getting along with them. Each man would feel
that he was the essential factor. They would go back to the homefolks to
tell of themselves. God seems to know us folk down on the earth fairly
well.

Now He would lessen their numbers, but in doing it He will pick out the
best. The men are encamped on the hillsides overlooking a valley. Across
the valley to the north lay the encamped armies of