Gideon was “hidden” in a winepress, he was not “hiding” in a winepress. Words and actions both have meanings. The word “hidden” does not mean the same as the word “hiding.” Neither word is used in Judges to describe what Gideon was doing. In spite of that fact, I’ve heard people refer to Gideon as hiding and they have contrasted the word picture of a hiding coward with the “mighty warrior” the angel of the Lord called him. They have made a mistake of interpreting actions without regard to context. Actions, and words, are both meaningless when viewed out of context.

Gideon was not in the winepress because he was afraid, he was in the winepress because he had a job to do and that was the safest and wisest place to do it. It would not have been brave, it would have been stupid, to thrash wheat out in the open where the Midianites would immediately know about it and would have come and stolen it.

In Gideon’s case, God did not call a coward and turn him into a great warrior. He called a man who had the courage to do what needed to be done in spite of danger, and at the same time who was wise enough to do it in the safest possible fashion. Gideon’s weakness was not a failure of courage or of strength; his failure was an inability to fully appreciate and recognize the strength and wisdom he already possessed. The angel told him to “go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hands.”

God rarely, if ever, uses men and women who are cowardly, overly rash, stupid or foolish. People like to think that God calls men and women who are badly flawed to ministry. I suspect this is a defense mechanism to excuse our failure to prepare ourselves. We cannot do nothing, while expecting and waiting for God to prepare and use us. If we want to be used by God, we must be people God can use.