Everyone likes a good underdog story. One of the most often related underdog stories is the story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17. David was the most unlikely of heroes. Puny, small, and young, God chose him to defeat a giant–a seasoned, battle scarred warrior. It appeared that David didn’t stand a chance and the Israelites would be defeated.Then along comes little David, who, unbeknownst to the crowd, had already been marked as God’s anointed. Most Christians know the story. David defeats the giant, Goliath, with a smooth stone and a shepherd’s slingshot. Then he uses the giant’s sword to cut off his head. Subsequently, David marries the king’s daughter and later becomes king himself. On the surface, David seemed like a very foolish choice. But God uses the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong. David won because he honored God. He wasn’t arrogant and boastful; he just had faith that God would give him the victory. God can use a humble heart. An underdog who has been counted out by the world is God’s favorite vessel, because only by using the foolish and the weak can God’s glory shine. People will never be able to say that David killed Goliath under his own power, because David, by himself, just didn’t have what it takes. Through God, however, he had more than enough.
And we pray:
Father, I love that You use the foolish thing to confound the wise and the weak things to shame the strong. That means that there is hope for me. I am both foolish and weak at times, so You might use me for Your glory. Help me to ready when the time comes that I have slain the giant. Be with me and allow Your power and glory to be revealed in and through me. Amen.