We all know the story of David and Goliath. Well, I read it again this morning, and as usual…I got something new out of it that I would like to share…
Setting: The Philistine army is encamped on one hill and the army of the Israelites is encamped on an adjacent hill. Each day for 40 days the 9′ tall Philistine, Goliath screams insults, taunts, and challenges anyone from the opposing army to fight him. Whoever loses would become the slave to the winner. Each day, the Israelites…listen and do nothing.
Fast forward: David arrives on the scene. He had brought some food for his older brothers, who are in the Israelite army. While he is there, he hears the insults being shouted by Goliath for the first time. David was ticked off that anyone would be saying these things about the one thing he loved more than anything…his God.
Fast forward, again: David convinces King Saul to let him go out and confront Goliath. David knew that God had proven himself faithful in the past when he had successfully protected his flock from lions and bears. So in David’s mind…what’s the big deal about a 9′ tall giant!
King Saul tries to protect David by allowing him to wear the King’s armor. David tries it on, but he can’t move in it and declines wearing it. David grabs 5 smooth stones and puts them in his pouch and goes to confront the giant.
Goliath and David exchange some “smack talk” and then something really cool happens…
The Bible says, “David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.”
David took the fight to the giant. David relied on a strong offense. He ran towards Goliath as he reached into his pouch, grabbing a stone and launching it from his sling. He didn’t wait. He didn’t plan. He acted. He trusted. He took the fight to Goliath.
Fast forward to today: Many of us are facing our own giants. Many of us are afraid. We are fearful of the unknown. We are fearful of losing our jobs, our retirement, or our future. We may be facing giants of sickness, loss, or disease. We may be being subjected to insults being hurled in our relationships, at our jobs, or even within our own families. We all have giants that are looming over us to some degree. We all know what it is we need to do and want to do…we just don’t…or can’t bring ourselves to do something about it. Like the Israelites, we stand on the hill and listen to the giants in our lives hurl insults at our very character.
Here is what I have learned: Having read the Bible several times, it seems that God blesses a “strong offense” as opposed to a “strong defense”. In case after case, battle after battle, God instructed his chosen ones to “attack the giant” rather than to defend.
Think about yourself, don’t you naturally feel empowered when you take on a challenge, be proactive, make the call, have the conversation, and attack rather than defend? Isn’t it more powerful to run towards our giants rather than to hope they don’t choose to come after you!
How would your life be different if you chose to run towards that which you are most afraid of? Run towards that call or conversation you don’t want to have. Run towards all those situations where giants have been on the hill shouting their insults for far too long.
Like David, we are to use the tools we already have and are comfortable with. We don’t need anything new. We need to trust that we are uniquely gifted to take on the giants in our path. We can do this! It must start with me! We don’t need someone else’s armor.
Also, when we are choosing our weapons…we also need to fill our pouch with smooth stones. We can kill many a giant with a smooth stone.
I hope this little insight makes you feel empowered. We all face Goliaths from time to time…it’s what we choose to do next that makes all the difference in the world.
Just remember…trust…. run towards…and take your shot.