Gideon was called by God to lead the Israelites at a time when they were once more being oppressed by some nation: the Midianites, this time round. The Bible says that Lord allowed this to happen because the Israelites had (again) turned away from their living, eternal God, to worship and sacrifice to the pagan gods of the surrounding nations.

The Midianite oppression was so severe that the Israelites were reduced to living like refugees, in caves and makeshift shelters, fugitives on their own land. Their crops and cattle were destroyed season after season by the Midianites, so that the they were left utterly impoverished. Moving away from God's will, disobeying Him, sinning literally reduces us to the same condition as the Israelites. 

When I let sin into my life, it becomes the boss of me. My life slips out of my control and sin dominates it. An addiction I may have, an illicit relationship, jealousy or anger I harbour against someone. 

*The Israelites were on the run. So am I: from being found out, from being judged. Lying about how I've spent my time or money, wondering if I've been spotted in a particular place, or with a particular person, wondering if people are talking behind my back, worried about losing a position or person. Perpetually in fear.

*The Israelites were impoverished. So am I. There's no success in my life because sin sucks all my resources. I spend my time, energy, money to feed my sin. Sin reaps all the dividends, eats up any profits and doesn't allow any progress in  my life. I probably fail my course or lose my job, alienate myself or my loved ones leave me, because of the sin I refuse to turn out of my life.

*The Israelites were oppressed and subjugated. So am I. I'm rendered helpless: at the mercy of that addiction, or a raging temper, or a caustic, uncontrollable tongue, or a relationship. 

*Life becomes purposeless: I lose my focus, my priorities, my calling.

 It's my life and all the promises the Lord holds out to me are mine to claim. But sadly, when sin takes over, it straitjackets me to it. I stop living, I barely manage to survive. Just like the Israelites. The land was their own, the harvest theirs to reap. But they were fugitives on their very own land. Hiding in caves, trying desperately just to survive. Living in makeshift shelters, not houses. Threshing their own grain, grown by their own toil, in secret. 

When we let sin into our lives, the fullness of life is lost and we're forced to live a constricted, pathetic existence. In fear, in hiding, purposeless and deprived. That's why sin is so not worth it. It makes you a refugee in the land of YOUR inheritance.