David and Goliath

1 Samuel 17:22-37New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. The Israelites said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel.”David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” The people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”

His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. He said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle.”David said, “What have I done now? It was only a question.” He turned away from him toward another and spoke in the same way; and the people answered him again as before.

When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him.David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you!”

"What have I done now?  It was only a question."  

Those might be the most relatable words in scripture.  How many teenagers can you hear in your head saying those words?

The teenager David says them to his elder brother.  You can hear the tone in his voice.  The annoyance.  The attitude!

Like a lot of teenagers I've known, David has confidence.  But David has a little something to back up his confidence. While others might be shrinking in fear at the size of Goliath, David knows two things:

He knows that God will not stand for Goliath's defiance and he knows that he, David, has experience behind him to face the giant.

Much again here has been made of David's size, so it is easy to underestimate him here.  Is he the underdog?  Maybe.  But with confidence, experience, and God on his side, he knows that really he isn't.

Battles in the Old Testament are never my favorite parts of scripture, but here again we see something of the kind of king David will be compared to Saul.  Everything in his face-off with Goliath, David knows is because of God and for God.  There is no personal glory he is looking for.

What is it like when we embrace God's call to us with the confidence and experience that David has?  Have you ever known you were meant for a situation and felt the ease of assurance in knowing that whatever happened, God was with you?

David was equipped.  His equipment was far more than a slingshot.  It was faith and experience.  That faith and experience provided him what he needed to be the person God created him to be.  He lived into his calling.

God of experience and wisdom, you have given me the gift of faith.  Enliven me to go boldly forward in that faith to serve you and your world!  Amen