The Least of All

Stacy Clemer: Stacy Clemer here from Paws & Tales. I'm here today with author Dave Carl. I understand you have written the very first Paws & Tales book entitled *The Overcomers*.
Dave Carl: That's right, Stacy. And thanks for having me here.
Stacy Clemer: So, is *The Overcomers* something very different, or is it a continuation of the big Paws & Tales story?
Dave Carl: Good question, Stacy. It absolutely is a continuation of the big Paws & Tales story. *The Overcomers* is like one giant Paws & Tales episode. The kids are all getting into a whole new adventure, and Minion is at it again up in the heights of Wild Mountain, and we even meet some new characters for the first time. I'm excited for folks to see what comes next.
Stacy Clemer: This is so exciting, Dave. Get your copy today at pawsandtales.org.
Insight for Living: Welcome to the world of Paws & Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. If you stay on the trails and stick with me, there's adventures to be had there too. Insight for Living is proud to present Paws & Tales. Howdy and welcome to Wildwood, or more specifically, the clubhouse on Fortress Rock. And Marsha's got something on her mind.
Marsha: And they looked all tired and hungry. I felt so sorry for them.
CJ: Lots of new families moving in lately. They heard about all the new jobs. They don't know that most of these jobs haven't even started yet.
Stacy: CJ's right. I've seen some poor families too.
CJ: Yeah, well, someone ought to do something about it.
Marsha: We could collect food from the diner and the general store. They both have leftover stuff that just ends up being thrown away.
CJ: And the hotel too. After they serve dinner, they have lots of leftovers. This is great.
Stacy: We could store the stuff that wouldn't spoil here. The fortress that feeds.
CJ: Folks who need it could come here and get their food. Oh, wow, this is great.
Stacy: Yeah, that would be great.
Marsha: When do we start?
Stacy: What?
Marsha: Collecting food. What we were just talking about.
Stacy: You mean actually do it?
Marsha: Well, sure. We just made a plan.
Stacy: I thought we were just talking. You want to really do it? Collect food? I don't want to.
Marsha: What?
CJ: Yeah, I don't know, Marsha.
Marsha: You don't know about what? I think we need to do this.
Stacy: Marsha, we're just a bunch of kids. How are we going to feed everyone who needs food? If we could do it, how long do we do it? This is a big thing here, Marsha.
Marsha: I know it's a big thing. That's why we need to do it.
Stacy: It's too big, Marsha. We're just kids. We're just kids.
Marsha: Hi, Mrs. Collins.
Mrs. Collins: Well, this is a surprise. Come in, Marsha. What can I do for you?
Marsha: Nana Cindy told me Papa Chuck is here.
Mrs. Collins: Indeed he is. You just follow me.
Insight for Living: Well, Mrs. Collins took Marsha down several hallways and a couple of stairwells before they could hear the familiar sounds of Papa Chuck's hammer at work.
Mrs. Collins: Here he is. Papa Chuck, I have a helper for you.
Papa Chuck: Marsha, what are you doing? Call if you need anything.
Marsha: Thanks, Mrs. Collins.
Papa Chuck: Well, what can I do for you?
Marsha: Okay, there are hungry families in Wildwood, but CJ and Stacy say we're just a bunch of kids and we can't do anything about it.
Papa Chuck: Wow. Well, I just thought you needed your wagon fixed again or something. Feed the hungry families of Wildwood?
Marsha: Do you think we should?
Papa Chuck: I think you should. What do you have in mind?
Marsha: Me? I thought you would do something. I thought CJ and Stacy would do something.
Papa Chuck: But this feeling, this burden, it came to you. Maybe you should do it.
Marsha: I don't think so. I'm just a young moose. This is something for someone who can do it.
Papa Chuck: Wait a minute.
Marsha: What?
Papa Chuck: Gideon.
Marsha: Gideon?
Papa Chuck: You know the story of Gideon.
Marsha: The fleece thingy?
Papa Chuck: Yes, the fleece thingy. I knocked over a crate a couple of days ago and found another tube.
Marsha: About Gideon?
Papa Chuck: Haven't heard it myself, but you sound like you are a Gideon. Here, take it to the library and give it a try. Let's see what Mr. Collins has to say about Gideon.
Insight for Living: Well, Marsha made her way to the library of the late Mr. Collins with the tube. The kids have been finding these for some time, but only recently have they realized that these are the recordings of Mr. Collins as he traveled around the world. She opened the large lid of the wooden box and placed the tube in its place.
Marsha: Okay. Oh, yeah. Here we go.
Mr. Collins: September 3rd. The heat today is stifling. I'm in Ophrah near the territory of the Midianites from the Old Testament, Book of Judges. I'm standing next to the ruins of an ancient winepress. This is a perfect place for smashing grapes into wine but a terrible place for the young Israelite men to try to thresh wheat. Men like Gideon.
Joash: Gideon? Over here, father. Well, how are you, son? It's going well?
Gideon: It's going slowly. This place was built for wine, not wheat.
Joash: Yes, it was, but it's the best we can do. The Midianites have ruined crops from here to Gaza. If they find this place, they'll destroy what little we make here as well.
Gideon: They've stolen our sheep and cattle. They've burned our homes so that we live in caves like animals.
Joash: They're a blight upon the land, Gideon, like the locusts were in old Egypt. And like those locusts, God is using the Midianites to punish us.
Gideon: Then why don't we return to him? We have this altar of Baal and this Asherah pole in our own yard. As long as these two idols are there, God will continue to punish us.
Joash: My son, it's not that easy. Those idols are there for our protection. Without them, the Midianites would kill us as we sleep.
Gideon: So we depend on the protection of idols and accept the anger of God?
Joash: You are young. It is complicated. The idols will remain until God delivers us.
Gideon: I am young, and I mean no disrespect, Father, but God will not deliver us until we repent and someone gets rid of those idols.
Joash: Get about your work. You must be finished before morning. And son, take care coming home.
Gideon: Yes, Father.
Mr. Collins: While Gideon was beating the grain out of the wheat stalks, he saw a man sitting under an oak tree. That day Gideon met the Angel of the Lord.
Angel of the Lord: The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.
Gideon: You mistake me for someone else. And if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? Where are the miracles our fathers told us about? The Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hands of Midian.
Angel of the Lord: That is why the Lord is sending you.
Gideon: Sir?
Angel of the Lord: Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand.
Gideon: Me? But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I'm the youngest in my family.
Angel of the Lord: I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.
Gideon: But Lord, I...
Angel of the Lord: Do not fear. Have I not sent you?
Gideon: Yes, my Lord.
Mr. Collins: Gideon immediately prepared an offering of broth and goat's meat and unleavened bread and presented it to the angel at the oak tree. The angel touched the offering with the tip of his staff. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread, and the Angel of the Lord disappeared. Gideon fell with his face to the ground.
Gideon: Sovereign Lord, I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.
Angel of the Lord: Do not be afraid. You will not die.
Mr. Collins: So Gideon arose and built an altar to the Lord at that place and called it "The Lord is Peace." But that miracle was only the beginning of Gideon's adventures.
Joseph: Hi, I'm Joseph from Santa Paula, California. One of the many reasons I love Paws & Tales is Ned the Beaver. He just cracks me up.
Ned the Beaver: Hello, everyone. Ned the Beaver here for Paws & Tales. Oh, we have such good news to tell you.
Tiffany Rockler: What are you doing in here, Ned? Tiffany, why are you? I just heard that Dave Carl has written the first Paws & Tales book. Am I correct?
Ned the Beaver: Yes. I mean, only if you want that to be true. Of course it's true. Why are you here?
Tiffany Rockler: I am here to promote the book, of course.
Ned the Beaver: Really? You want to help?
Tiffany Rockler: Of course. I want everyone to read this book and learn about repentance and about the mean old vulture that tries to get Stacy mad at the club and how Crocket and Smidge take care of the men they call the shovels. What could be better than all of that?
Ned the Beaver: Wow. Color me surprised. I didn't think you would be interested in this.
Tiffany Rockler: Ned Cleaver, I am nothing if not a team player.
Ned the Beaver: Not exactly how I would describe you.
Tiffany Rockler: So, if all you listeners can hear me now, I want you to all go out and get your own copy of *The Overcomers*, the very first Paws & Tales book ever.
Ned the Beaver: Amazing, Tiffany. I just did not expect...
Tiffany Rockler: I'm buying 100 copies myself, so the very least you could do is get one.
Ned the Beaver: Okay. We try not to be mean to the audience. Thank you for stopping by, Tiffany Rockler. On behalf of the very first Paws & Tales book ever, *The Overcomers*.
Tiffany Rockler: Go right now to pawsandtales.org and buy it. Now.
Ned the Beaver: Kind of mean right there. Let's stop the tape. I don't feel safe. Stop the tape, Joel.
Tiffany Rockler: We will stop the tape when I say stop tape.
Mr. Collins: Now the Lord came to Gideon again later that night with a special assignment. Gideon listened and then gathered together ten of his servants.
Pura: We are here, Mr. Gideon.
Gideon: Thank you, Pura. Today the Lord spoke to me.
Pura: What did he say, Master?
Gideon: He knows how we suffer, and he has told me that we will defeat the army of Midian.
Pura: We? Us, the scared farmers? We can't even defend our crops. How are we going to defeat an army?
Elieazar: What do you want us to do?
Gideon: Elieazar, go bring me a bull from my father's herd, the one that's seven years old. We will tear down my father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
Pura: We will all be killed for this.
Gideon: Then we will build an altar to the Lord God on top of this hill.
Elieazar: Yes, we will.
Gideon: We will chop up the Asherah pole and use its wood to sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering to the Lord God. This should have been done years ago.
Pura: But Master, we cannot do this. Before we finish, the men of the city will kill us.
Gideon: That's why we must do it now, before morning. I'm afraid too, but should we fear a stone idol and a wooden pole more than we trust the God of our fathers? Master, please.
Elieazar: I am with you. It has been a long time since we, the chosen people, have followed God as we should.
Gideon: Thank you, Pura. Come, my friends. We have much to do.
Elieazar: I'm coming.
Mr. Collins: So Gideon and his servants did as the Lord told him. They worked all night and made the sacrifice in the early hours before dawn. In the morning, when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar demolished with the Asherah pole cut down and burned.
Townsperson: What is this? Who has desecrated the altar of Baal?
Guest (Male): I know who it was. He will be put to death.
Townsperson: Who was it?
Guest (Male): I was coming home from the field late last night. I saw Gideon, son of Joash, and his servants gather around the altar.
Townsperson: Gideon. It was Gideon. Where can we find him?
Guest (Male): Well, you can ask his father, Joash. Joash!
Joash: What has happened here?
Townsperson: Your son did it.
Joash: My son?
Townsperson: Gideon destroyed it. He has broken down Baal's altar and used the Asherah pole for firewood. And he has sacrificed a bull on a new altar.
Joash: Oh, Gideon.
Townsperson: Where is he, Joash? He must answer for this. He must be put to death.
Joash: Are you here to defend Baal?
Townsperson: Bring out your son, Joash.
Joash: We are the children of Israel, the chosen ones. What Gideon did, he did to the Lord God. If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.
Townsperson: Joash!
Joash: Gideon is right. I have learned from my son.
Townsperson: Gideon must die.
Joash: He will not die. Whoever defends Baal will be killed by morning.
Townsperson: So be it, Joash. Let Baal contend with Gideon.
Mr. Collins: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet summoning his people to him.
Gideon: Hear me, my people. The enemies of our Lord are camped on our land. We must drive them off and destroy them.
Crowd: We will destroy them! We will be slaughtered. We have no army.
Gideon: The Lord God will be our army. He will clothe us in his strength. We will move forward in his name and chase these heathens from our land, the land our God has given us. Then send messengers throughout the land to Manasseh and Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. Tell them the hour of deliverance is at hand. Have them meet us in two days at the spring of Harod.
Mr. Collins: That night, like so many godly leaders before and since, Gideon sought counsel and comfort from the Lord.
Gideon: God of my fathers, I know you want me to lead these people. I believe you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised. But I am weak and I need your assurance, Lord. Grant my request. I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. And if in the morning there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand as you have said.
Mr. Collins: So that's what he did. And the next morning, he raced to the threshing room.
Gideon: The ground is dry, but the fleece, it's wet, filled with dew. A bowl. I need a bowl. A bowl full of water. Oh, Lord God, you give and give generously. Oh, but I beg you, do not be angry with me, but allow me one more test with the fleece. This night make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew. And forgive my lack of faith.
Mr. Collins: Gideon carefully replaced the fleece and then waited. The next morning, he again raced to the threshing room.
Gideon: The ground is wet and the fleece as dry as a desert. Oh God, oh, you are God, and I know now that you will lead us to victory.
Priscilla: Hi, I'm Priscilla from California. Don't go away because there's more Paws & Tales coming right up.
Ned the Beaver: Hello, Paws & Tales listeners. Can you all just stop everything? Thank you so much. I am Tiffany Rockler, the richest girl in Wildwood, and I am here to tell you about the very first Paws & Tales book ever. It is like an expanded version of a regular episode. It is full of adventure. Ned, you were supposed to be the great sound effects guy. Give me adventure sounds, please.
Ned the Beaver: We haven't had time.
Tiffany Rockler: Do it.
Ned the Beaver: Okay. Adventure words on three. One, two, three. Whoa! Amazing! This is so awesome!
Tiffany Rockler: We will fix it in post. The book is also jam-packed with Paws & Tales fun. Do something fun.
Ned the Beaver: Okay, let's all laugh on three. One, two, three. Ha, ha, ha!
Tiffany Rockler: I am doing all the work here. You, read this for me.
Ned the Beaver: Sure. Just log on to pawsandtales.org, get your own copy of *The Overcomers* by David Carl.
Tiffany Rockler: Lovely. That'll do it.
Ned the Beaver: Are you joking? That was not lovely, and we will do it again and again if we need to until it is perfect.
Tiffany Rockler: And we're out.
Marsha: Pretty exciting, isn't it?
Papa Chuck: Wait, how long have you been there? How do you make it stop?
Marsha: Just lift the needle. I've been here for a while. Why? Why didn't Gideon trust God after the fleece was wet? After the angel appeared? I mean, really.
Papa Chuck: Well, that's a good question. It certainly is clear that he needed a lot of encouragement. He had a big job ahead of him.
Marsha: Yeah, but it takes three miracles? Oh, how embarrassing.
Papa Chuck: You know, I've never thought about it quite like that. I think that this part of the story is not so much about Gideon as it is about God. Nothing in that story tells us that God is upset with Gideon for being afraid. God was patient, and God gave him the encouragement that he needed. And because of all that encouragement, Gideon was changing and growing. But there's even bigger miracles yet to come. Listen.
Mr. Collins: Early in the morning, Gideon and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 32,000 men came ready for battle, and the Lord again spoke to Gideon.
Gideon: Hear the word of the Lord. If you are frightened by what is to come, then you may return to your homes and families. There is no shame in this. It is the will of the Lord.
Pura: Master Gideon, we need every one of these men. All who are afraid? Most of us are afraid. We may lose half our army.
Mr. Collins: 22,000 men left while 10,000 remained. But the Lord spoke again to Gideon.
Gideon: It will be done, O Lord.
Mr. Collins: So Gideon took the men down to the water. He gathered his servants together and told them.
Gideon: The Lord has told me that he will choose our army.
Pura: What is his will, Gideon?
Gideon: Tell the men to drink from the spring. Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down and scoop it up with their hands.
Pura: Consider it done, Master.
Mr. Collins: So there at the spring of Harod, thousands of men were drinking from the spring. When the men had finished drinking and were divided into two groups, Gideon again sought the Lord. And again the Lord told him what to do.
Pura: You must be mistaken.
Gideon: There's no mistake. Our God will go before us.
Pura: We've gone from an army of 32,000 to 300. How can we do God's will without an army?
Gideon: Elieazar, the Lord said to go with 300. Don't you see? We're not capable of winning this battle. That's the way God wants it. When the Lord wins this battle, the rejoicing will be remembered forever. Send all but the 300 back to their tents.
Elieazar: Right away.
Mr. Collins: Now the camp of Midian lay just below Gideon in the valley. During that night, Gideon awoke his servant.
Gideon: The Lord has spoken to me again. I was still afraid to attack, but he told me to get up, take you, and go down to the Midianite camp.
Pura: Just the two of us?
Gideon: "I will give the camp into your hands," the Lord said. He said to go and listen to what the Midianites are saying. Afterward, we will be encouraged to attack. Come.
Pura: Yes, Master. Master, the Midianites are thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
Gideon: Quiet, Pura. Listen.
Midianite: Let me tell you about my dream.
Guest (Male): Dream? Just see what you think.
Midianite: A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into our camp. It struck the tent with so much force that the tent overturned and it collapsed.
Guest (Male): Barley. This does not bode well.
Midianite: Why?
Guest (Male): Don't you see? A barley loaf comes from a barley farmer. Gideon, son of Joash, the Israelite. Gideon. They say he talks to the gods. And in your dream, he smashed our camp. Your dream can mean nothing other than the sword of Gideon. God has given us into Gideon's hand.
Gideon: Praise your holy name, O God. Come, Pura. Back to camp.
Pura: Yes, Master.
Gideon: Rise up, men of Israel. The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands. Pura, take 100 men. Elieazar, take another 100. Give them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside.
Servants: Yes, Gideon.
Gideon: Watch me. Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and my men blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp, you and yours shout, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon." Do you understand?
Servants: We do. It will be done, Master. God be with us.
Mr. Collins: Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. When the rest of the army was in place, he gave the word.
Gideon: Now, men of Israel! Smash the jars! Light your torches! Blow your trumpets!
Mr. Collins: They all blew their trumpets and smashed the jars, grasping the torches in their left hands and holding the trumpets in their right hands. They shouted at the top of their lungs, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon! A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!" Gideon's army held their position around the camp, but the Midianites were in complete disorder.
Midianite: The torches! They're all around us! We're surrounded!
Mr. Collins: All the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the 300 trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. They began killing each other while Gideon and his men watched. The Midianite army fled back to their country. Israelites from all over the land joined Gideon and chased them away. It was one of the greatest victories in Israel's history, all brought about through God's chosen, the youngest son in the weakest clan in Manasseh, Gideon.
Papa Chuck: So, what do you think?
Marsha: Papa Chuck, you scared me. Where's Mrs. Collins?
Papa Chuck: Making us some lunch, I think. What'd you think?
Marsha: It was amazing!
Papa Chuck: It is an amazing story.
Marsha: Did you know that God wanted to use people who were not even capable to win the battle?
Papa Chuck: Well, yes, I...
Marsha: Did you know that Gideon was really, really scared and God didn't get mad at him for it?
Papa Chuck: Sure, it's okay to be scared if you just go ahead...
Marsha: Did you know that God won the battle with only 300 men?
Papa Chuck: I did.
Marsha: So, if God wants you to do something and it's impossible, then... then oh, wow. That's when he does the really big stuff.
Papa Chuck: Very well put, Marsha. Now, if you...
Marsha: Do you think that God wants me to help gather food for those families?
Papa Chuck: I don't know, Marsha. That's kind of between you and God.
Marsha: Of course he does. And I can't do it, so this is great!
Papa Chuck: That's great?
Marsha: Oh, God is going to do something really great here! Got to go. Oh, thanks for all the advice, Papa Chuck.
Papa Chuck: Glad to help out.
Insight for Living: (Song: "I Can, I Can") I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible I see God's power in a tiny seed It grows and flowers and becomes a tree So in God's hands if I just believe He'll do greater things through someone like me I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible A boy named David stood by himself Overcame a giant 'cause he had God's help And Moses set God's people free He believed in the Lord, opened up the sea I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible With him all things are possible So if God calls me to climb a mountain I won't turn away I'll follow him 'cause by his strength He will make a way That's why I say I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible I can, I can with the Great I Am I can do the unbelievable I can, I can and I know I will 'Cause with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible Yes with him all things are possible With him all things are possible With him all things are possible
Stacy: Okay, let's start this meeting of the club. We've got to get a name for this club. Marsha?
Marsha: Okay. I've already talked to the diner, the hotel, and Mr. Crawford. We can go over tomorrow after school and start collecting food. The stuff that won't spoil, we will bring here, divide it up, and then deliver it to the families.
Stacy: Marsha, that's great. Who'd have thought? What in the world is that?
Bill: Oh, hi, kids.
Stacy: What's going on?
Bill: Just putting up this notice. Building condemned.
Stacy: You can't condemn our clubhouse.
Bill: Afraid I can. Mayor's orders. You kids'll need to find somewhere else to play. This shack's being torn down.
Insight for Living: To order a copy of today's program, "The Least of All", just log on to pawsandtales.org. "The Least of All" was written by Phil Lollar and directed by David Carl. The song "I Can, I Can" was written by Sandy Howell and Roger Freeland. Music was by Billy Martin, and our sound designer was Jerry Swafford. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living production.