You know the story. Saul, the king, had informed the soldiers that he was to be notified as soon as anyone was ready to do battle with Goliath. David, in his youthful innocence and naiveté boldly stated that he would fight this giant in order to show the world the truth about God. Soldier’s armor was placed on him; soldier’s weapons were provided him; soldier’s battle plans were drawn out in the sand for him.
But, David picked up his sling and ran forward to the streambed that lay between the two armies. Many stones of the right size and shape, smoothed by the rushing waters as in a stone polisher, lay in the stream. David selected five stones for his mission. Four of them he placed in his leather bag that hung from his belt. The fifth one went into his sling. Then he bounded across the stream toward Goliath.
Goliath was shocked. “You send a puppy out for me to play with?” he roared. David watched his enemy carefully. He saw the giant throw down his shield and push his protective helmet back so that he could better see this teenager who was coming toward him. It was then that David prayed out loud as a warning to the enemy and as a reminder to the Israelite soldiers, watching and listening as they cowered in their tents behind him.
“My God, the One you have been blaspheming, the One you have been lying about, will today deliver you into my hands so that all may know God is the One who saves.”
One stone, carefully guided to the right place brought honor to God. He had four more ready, in case other giants ran to Goliath’s rescue. But one did the job.
The stones had been there all the time.
The stones were within the reach of the rest of the Israelite soldiers all the time.
The stones were seen as a reason to complain.
“These dumb stones are difficult to walk on in sandals”
“It takes too long to fill my water bottle with these stone in the way”;
They had thrown the stones at nothing, at birds, at other rocks.
But the attitude and focus of the soldiers was – the stones were a nuisance. The stones made their lives more difficult. The stones had no value in their lives right then.
But David had a different focus and a different attitude from the soldiers who were too afraid to do anything. David’s focus was on God and Honoring Him; his attitude was “I will use the skills that I have to stand up and stand out for God.”
We all have skills. You don’t need my skills in order to stand up for God, just as David didn’t need the tools that the king offered him for the fight. The shield and sword and armor were Saul’s, not David’s. David needed to use his own skills, focus on honoring God, and show by his actions his confidence that God will save.
What skills has God placed in you? How can they be used to bring honor to God?
Be willing. Move forward, confident that God will use you.
A small beginning is better than no beginning.
