Judges 6:12
“Yahweh’s angel appeared to him, and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, you mighty man of valor!””
What does Judges 6:12 mean?
Gideon was hiding in a winepress, threshing grain in secret because he was terrified of the Midianites who were oppressing his people. When God's messenger called him a "mighty man of valor," it wasn't describing who Gideon was at that moment, but who God saw him becoming and who he could be through God's strength. The phrase "Yahweh is with you" is the real heart of the greeting, because it means Gideon wouldn't be facing his fears alone. Sometimes we need to hear that God sees potential in us that we can't see in ourselves, especially when we're scared or feeling small.