-Three Lessons To Help Us Defeat The Giants In Our Lives
The story of David beating Goliath is the most famous battle in the Old Testament. It has thrilled the hearts of people of all ages from the day it took place until now. Indeed, the biblical account is so familiar that secular confrontations between “giants” and “underdogs” – from athletics to national politics – are commonly called “David and Goliath” conflicts.
One of the greatest features of this classic drama is that it’s true; it really took place exactly the way the Bible describes it. It’s not an exaggerated Jewish legend or a “spin” of some ancient battle in Israel’s history. It’s a real-life historical account, accurate in every detail. The Valley of Elah may be visited today and Holy Land tourists can actually pick up five smooth stones from the same creek bed where David armed himself.
Besides being a true historical record, the story of David and Goliath is the Word of God, and thus has many lessons for us today. Romans 15:4 says that “whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Over the years, God’s people have been encouraged by the spiritual lessons found in the story of David and Goliath.
When we take lessons from historical events of Scripture, it is important to stay away from fanciful interpretations, such as the idea that David picked up five stones, rather than just one, because Goliath had four brothers who also needed to be killed. This type of interpretation is called over-spiritualization, and it should be avoided! If the story went on to tell us that David also killed Goliath’s brothers using his slingshot, then we’d be on more solid hermeneutical ground – but it doesn’t! Most likely, David took five stones because he could conveniently carry five; and in case he missed with the first stone, he’d have others as a backup. This was good common sense. If there is a spiritual lesson here, it’s that trusting in the living God does not mean throwing common sense out the window! Living by faith does not mean kissing your God-given brains goodbye!
The Lesson Of Outward Appearance
What are some lessons taught in this Bible classic? Certainly one pertains to outward appearance. When God asked Samuel to anoint the new king of Israel, Samuel was convinced it would be one of David’s more “macho” brothers – not the young shepherd boy! Which brother would we have chosen if Jesse had a Goliath-sized son? But God said to Samuel, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7 NASB).
This well-known verse is sometimes pulled out of context and misinterpreted to say that actions which appear wrong to others are acceptable as long as “your heart is right.” Nothing could be further from the truth! This Scripture is not a justification for an “I don’t care what others think” attitude. It does matter what others think, and we are responsible for our outward appearance as well as our heart (1 Th. 5:22). And this verse doesn’t mean that as long as our intentions are good, we can use any means to accomplish them. Good intentions are not good enough! Our actions matter! God’s work must be done in God’s way.
First Samuel 16:7 describes the very different ways man and God view a person’s potential for serving God, including fighting “giants.” As humans, we tend to look at outward appearance and think that well-educated, good-looking and talented Christians are the obvious choices for service. But this is not God’s method. He looks first at the heart of the individual. If a person’s heart is humble and right with God, then God can work with and through any individual for His glory.
A good application today might be the method for selecting church leaders or board members for Christian organizations. Are our first choices those who appear to be important, successful business or professional people who are socially prominent in the community? If so we need to change our viewpoint, and look at people with God’s eyes. The people with humble servant hearts should be our first choices, regardless of their professional or social status. A pure heart allows God to accomplish any and every good work through an individual (2 Tim. 2:21).
Is your heart pure and humble before God? Don’t worry so much about your outward appearance – your looks, talents, brains or popularity. David wasn’t worried about his size or his lack of experience; his heart reflected God’s attitude. Examine your heart! Is your mind being renewed and transformed by God’s Word? Are you beginning to look at this world as God does? Do your eyes look at others as Jesus does, with compassion and love? Do you desire to serve others, or do you tend to look for “what’s in it for me?” – even in Christian service? Are you “playing politics” for personal power – even in church and ministry areas? If your heart is right before God, then the Lord will be pleased to use you in fruitful service for Him, no matter what your outward appearance may be! (Rom. 12:1-8).
The Lesson Of Outward Armor
Another great lesson in the story of David and Goliath is the lesson of outward armor. When David decided to fight Goliath, anxious King Saul wanted him to wear armor. After all, that was the normal way to go into battle. Look at Goliath’s outward armor – a javelin, a spear, a metal helmet, full-body armor, and a shield-bearer to go ahead of him (1 Sam. 17:5-7,41)! What an awesome sight! What an outward appearance! Unfortunately, King Saul was intimidated. He hadn’t learned God’s lessons about “outward appearance” or armor. Outward armor was actually a hindrance to David. It didn’t fit and it hadn’t been tested. David stepped out in faith and went with his slingshot. He knew how to use it, and had used it successfully.
Some people have the idea that David was just a shepherd boy, completely untrained and untested. However, he actually had real-life experience. How many hours did David spend working on the art of stone slinging and perfecting his aim? And God tested David’s courage in confrontations with a bear and a lion as he protected his sheep alone in the fields. David only had a staff and a slingshot, yet he did not run away, as we would have! In real life, David learned the lesson of trusting God despite having no “outward armor.”
The Lord calls us to go with what we’ve got. Each one of us is unique. We don’t have to put on someone else’s armor. God will use what we have already tested and know how to use. God is not limited by lack of outward armor, and He will use what we have.
The armor of a seminary education, for example, is not necessary to study and teach the Word of God competently, but a renewed mind that longs to know God and introduce His Word to others is necessary. The armor of a degree in psychology is not required to do Christian counseling, but a compassionate heart that reaches out with God’s love and His Word is necessary. In the area of counseling, God’s real-life testing in our own lives will greatly help us to comfort others who are hurting (2 Cor. 1:35). Education can be used by God, but “outward armor” is not necessary to fight giants and serve the Lord.
Although the conventional outward armor was not necessary for David to slay Goliath, the inner armor of God certainly was required. David had put on the full armor of God, so that when the day came he was able to stand his ground. Read Ephesians 6:10-18 and notice the breastplate of righteousness and shield of faith in David’s response to Goliath’s threat: “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam. 17:45-7).
We, too, must put on the full armor of God to be successful in conquering the giants that the enemy of our soul raises up against us. While the conventional outward armor is not a requirement for fighting these giants, the inner armor of God is always a requirement. God is looking for disciplined Christians who are not intimidated by “giants,” and who are willing to put on the inner armor and use the weapon He has provided to fight the battles He has given us (2 Cor. 10:3-4).
David’s training as a shepherd guarding his sheep was put to immediate use. Certainly David learned later how to fight with conventional armor, but he responded immediately in faith to serve the Lord with the experience he had and the weapon he knew how to use. What a lesson for us! Let’s not get bogged down with outward armor. There are threatening giants that need to be brought down now! God only asks us to trust Him and go with what we’ve got. The Lord will use our past experiences and present abilities in ways we didn’t dream possible. Our faith should “not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5).
The Lesson Of Outward Adversity
A third important lesson we can learn from the story of David and Goliath is the lesson of outward adversity. From the human perspective it seemed that all hope was gone for Israel. If you walk through the Valley of Elah today it is quite apparent that the Israeli forces were strategically surrounded by the Philistines. From the Bible and archaeology, we know that the Philistines had a monopoly on iron technology at this time (1 Sam. 13:19-22). Goliath had a spear head of iron (1 Sam. 17:7). Israel’s primary weapons were bronze, which was inferior to iron. This was a frightening disadvantage. And, of course, the Philistines had their giant, Goliath.
We can imagine the fear that this gigantic threat instilled in the hearts of the Israeli forces. Especially in the ancient world, the strength of an army was measured, and sometimes the fate of the nation decided, by the representative for each army. The Philistines had a giant, and Israel had none! Even if King Saul – who was head and shoulders above the rest of Israel (1 Sam. 9:2) – had assumed his responsibility as Israel’s champion, the comparison with Goliath was enough to intimidate any soldier! That is, of course, if the soldier was only looking at outward adversity. But David was not intimidated by Goliath. He looked to God, and so should we!
From God’s perspective, there’s no such thing as a giant! The “giants” of outward adversity become insignificant when compared to God. From our viewpoint the giants of financial failure, workload, loneliness, difficult relationships, and serious illness are huge and intimidating. But they are only outward adversity. With God’s perspective, these giants become tests for our faith. With God, they can be overcome by the mere “slingshots” we hold in our hands. And Scripture tells us that God will never allow us to be in a testing situation that is beyond our ability to handle (1 Cor. 10:13).
Fighting the giants of terminal illness, joblessness, persecution, or broken relationships can be a very frightening, discouraging and lonely battle, but it’s on these battlefields that we learn to trust God. And it’s on these battlefields that “those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isa. 40:31). Think God, not giants! Take all frightening situations to Him. Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us that Jesus understands how we feel. He has been through the battles we face today! Because of this, we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
In Philippians 4:6-7 we read, “Be anxious for nothing … let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God promises us that He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, trusting in Him (Isa. 26:3). When we bring our fears and anxieties to God and trust Him to strengthen us for the battle, His perfect peace will guard our hearts, and no giant of outward adversity can overcome us.
Seeing God
Outward appearance, outward armor and outward adversity are giants that threaten every Christian. David overcame these “giants” just as much as he conquered Goliath. The secret to David’s success was that he saw giants versus God, not giants versus David! May that be our perspective as well.
By David R. Reid
With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org
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