where are the david’s?

Pondering the ancient scriptures on this global holiday… camping on one all of us know. I have two questions today…

“… A giant nearly ten feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor — 126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail — the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him.

Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, ‘Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? … Pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!’

When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine’s challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.

Enter David. He was the son of Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse, the father of eight sons… David was the youngest son. While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul to tending his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech.

One day… David was up at the crack of dawn and, having arranged for someone to tend his flock, took the food and was on his way just as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines moved into position, facing each other, battle-ready. David left his bundles of food in the care of a sentry, ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers. While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him.

The Israelites, to a man, fell back the moment they saw the giant—totally frightened. The talk among the troops was, ‘Have you ever seen anything like this, this man openly and defiantly challenging Israel? The man who kills the giant will have it made. The king will give him a huge reward, offer his daughter as a bride, and give his entire family a free ride.’

David, who was talking to the men standing around him, asked, ‘What’s in it for the man who kills that Philistine and gets rid of this ugly blot on Israel’s honor? Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of God-Alive?’

They told him what everyone was saying about what the king would do for the man who killed the Philistine.

Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: ‘What are you doing here! Why aren’t you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you’re up to. You’ve come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!’

‘What is it with you?’ replied David. ‘All I did was ask a question.’ Ignoring his brother, he turned to someone else, asked the same question, and got the same answer as before.
The things David was saying were picked up and reported to Saul. Saul sent for him.

‘Master,’ said David, ‘don’t give up hope. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.’

Saul answered David, ‘You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced—and he’s been at this fighting business since before you were born.’

David said, ‘I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.’

Saul said, ‘Go. And God help you!’ ”

We know the rest of the story. The military leaders attempt to outfit David in armor; he resists, instead selecting five smooth stones from the nearby brook. When Goliath sees young David, he mocks and ridicules him even more. David is faithful. Man can never outdo God and what he would do. Hence, stones will beat a spear if God is the director of the stones. That’s how David beat the giant — with a sling and a stone… slinging it, hitting Goliath hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply.

So here are my two questions… First, recognize that no one encouraged David to do what he did. No one. There was no consensus. So question number one is: where are the “David’s” in life — where are those who are brave regardless of the behavior of the insulated groups around them? Does bravery only come via consensus?

And then, question number two: are we ever called to be the “David”?

Respectfully…
AR