For the last few weeks we have had a season of having to do new things. The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 is an exciting story of courage and faith in the face of what seems like a terrible imbalance. It is a moment of encouragement for me also. David had to change from being a shepherd to being a warrior. It was not something he took on lightly. Rather it was something forced on him by circumstance. I also realize another truth about this story — the sense of uncomfortable because of a circumstance forced upon me. At such times I may have to respond to specific circumstances that seem alien to my character.
In my meditation I discover that God does not put us into uncomfortable circumstance without preparation. We can surely think of small examples that provide a set of building blocks, that create a strong defense – which enable us to get through whatever God is bringing us through.
David was not in the dark when it came to this battle with the Philistines. His brothers were already committed to the army. David had a background in dealing with aggressive beasts which were much more deadly than most of the things he had experienced. David was a guide for his sheep, and their protector. The occasion of killing a bear and a lion were experiences where he had no choice — and with no choice comes the necessity of winning or dying. When he approached the battlefield of the Philistines and Israel, he came as a shepherd, taking care of his brothers (with food). The necessity of the circumstance provided the need for his next life or death decision. It is frequently overlooked, that the derision from his oldest brother preceded all this also.
28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
David had a lot to prove, and had no respect from his peers. Some of this was caused by the fact that people did not know him. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ” Likewise, David was not willing for himself or the people of Israel to be a victim. They did not have to know him in order for him to make the right choices.
The valuable lesson I get from this is, in my time of discomfort, I have a choice to make. I can and will follow God regardless of the difficulty. I stand ready to be the one with the tools God has given. I stand ready to fight for God’s honor, even when I am surrounded by disrespect and dishonor from my peers. There are those who may scoff at this idea -‘These are merely words, it is merely talk’ . The end of the chapter shows the results. Among the people who are important to the story, the discomfort ends with recognition and growth. Indee words alone, but watch me grow. I challenge you to do the same.
56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.” 57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head. 58 “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
