“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; there was no sword in the hand of David.” – 1 Samuel 17:50
It is one of the great stories of our faith… David & Goliath. It is the story of a powerful soldier, Goliath. He is a giant of a man who is strong and brash. Goliath is described as a “Champion of the Philistines.” They are the dreaded enemies of Israel. Goliath and the Philistines had come to the Valley of Elah, which is only about 15 miles from David’s home outside of Bethlehem. They had a strong army, better equipped than the army of Israel, led by King Saul. Things were not looking good for Israel. They were outmatched on this battlefield and there was no better example of that than the great warrior, Goliath.
David was, by no measure, a great warrior. In fact, he had never seen battle, with the exception of protecting his father’s sheep in the wilderness. David was young. So young that he was not even part of the army. David is only near the battle because his father, Jesse, had sent him with supplies to deliver to his older brothers and to bring back news about the battle. David was simply a messenger and delivery boy. He was far from a mighty champion.
When David arrived at the Valley of Elah, he found that the army of Israel was in trouble. Fear had seized the camp. There seemed to be no willingness to fight the Philistines, much less take on Goliath.
David simply did not understand why the army was so afraid. He began to speak boldly to the other soldiers and to his brothers. He asked, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26) His words were so strong that news of this young boy found its way to the King. Eventually, David spoke with King Saul and offered to go and fight the great champion. Saul agreed and allowed David to fight.
As David approached the giant, their differences were only highlighted. Goliath was dressed in the finest of armor. His weapons were the best of the day. He was a massive and strong man who towered over anyone, including the young David. David was dressed like a young boy who had been watching sheep the day before. The only thing he brought to the battle was his small bag filled with stones and a sling. Goliath looked at David and shouted, “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” (1 Samuel 17:43) He mocked David, but David showed no fear.
David stood before Goliath with the tools he had, and his faith in God. That day, David was victorious on the battlefield.
This great story of our faith reminds us that each person can make a difference. It is easy to identify ourselves only by our limitations. When we don’t see our own limitations, others are often willing to point them out, like David’s brothers were for him. But, when we remember that our God has created us with purpose and has surrounded us with his grace, we understand that what we do matters. Too often, we shrink back from trying, because we compare ourselves to others or we only focus on our shortcomings. But David reminds us today that the faithful people of God can make a difference!
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
