Hey Mads!
The story of David and Goliath is a staple in children’s bibles and bible school curriculums. Most people are familiar with the story of a small shepherd boy defeating this giant of a soldier. Working through the book of 1 Samuel I discovered details I don’t remember from bible school, and they blew my mind.
David walked so Katniss could run
The first thing that surprised me was the confidence that David spoke with when he volunteered as tribute. Honestly not sure how I thought he got roped into the fight but I was surprised at how boldly he spoke up and did so without hesitation. (Check out sassy David in 1 Samuel 17:26-30 on your own or at the end of this post!!) When David “asks permission” to go against Goliath, David’s brothers, the other soldiers, and even King Saul refuse and try to convince David that he is unqualified, reminding him of his young age. David’s reply leads me to the second revelation.
Tending sheep is badass.
If you know the story you know that David is a shepherd boy, and I don’t know about you but I pretty much pictured David only frolicking in the rolling hills and petting fluffy lambs in his free time. 1 Samuel 17:34-36 paints a contrasting image.
“Then David told Saul: ‘Your servant used to tend his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock, I would chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it. Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear.’”
UM, OKAY DAVID
I always assumed that David approached Goliath with only a few stones (because God told him to) and a whole bunch of faith and trust in God to deliver him (because that’s all he could do). While this is technically true there are many pieces I missed. God’s plan for David’s victory over Goliath didn’t start the day he volunteered. All those years being a soldier in his own right, defending innocent sheep from the mouths of beasts, being obedient and faithful in his work and to his family, as well as routinely tuning in to God’s voice are what prepared him. Now, I totally believe God has the power to call the completely unqualified and bring an unlikely victory to the weak over the strong, but I also think that it’s important to remember that God is constantly preparing us for the battles we will face. The tasks that seem tedious and mundane, are the skills and talents that can later become the tools we need to win.
Later in the passage, Saul tries to clothe David in a full suit of armor but David says, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them” (1 Samuel 18:39). It’s clear God provided David with the skills he needed to defeat Goliath, but David had to believe he was capable. It was necessary for him to find the confidence inside himself while also staying true to himself. David shows an understanding of who he is and what works best for him. We don’t all fight our battles the same, and I think, Mads, this has been critical for me in helping others. Sometimes I can be Saul, giving people all these ideas on how to help, by telling them what works well for me and I forget that there are blades of all sizes and one set of armor does not fit all.
Crazy, right?!
Before I leave you I want to say this again, I completely believe God can just make miracles happen out of nowhere, however (and more importantly), I believe he is inviting us to choose to walk boldly into the victory he has planned for us.
-hp
1 Samuel 17:28-30 "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.'
'Now What have I done?' said David. 'Can't I even speak?' He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before."
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