http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judges%2011:1-3&version=NKJV
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah. Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.
Immediately before this we find the Gileadites searching for a deliverer, and the first verse here begins by describing the perfect one: Jephthah, a mighty man of valor. But the very next clause disqualifies him, at least in the eyes of his own people. And for what? A situation entirely out of his control: he was the son of a harlot. His brothers disown him, and apparently no one around wants to help either, ‘cause he ends up fleeing. Worse still, he resorts to commanding a band of hunters and raiders just to get sustenance. But what can you expect when those who keep strictly to “good company” don’t raise a finger to support him? If only they knew his potential. Would they have treated them as they did if they knew the plan God had for him?
But we know that God has a marvelous plan for everyone, and yet we sometimes find ourselves downplaying a person’s potential usefulness in God’s kingdom by either casting them out ourselves (as Jephthah’s brothers), or simply leaving them to themselves (as his neighbors). Is it really up to us to decide who’s worth our time and effort and who’s not? And is it possible our reasons may be as ridiculous as the one given by Jephthah’s brothers
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