Facing Goliath
Text: 1 Samuel 17:1-11; 19-23; 32-49
Every once in a while, the suggested weekly readings from scripture, stumble across one of the great old favorites. Those stories that many of us learned in Sunday School way back when, and have continued to be the staple of the tales that we tell children that bring home memories of our own childhood. David and Goliath, amongst all the others, stands tall amongst this dearly beloved collection. Regardless of how historical the events are in First Samuel, the story of the young boy and the Philistine Giant has taken on an epic, mythic quality. They are part of the cultural collective, even in our now mostly secular society. Most people can at least associate the metaphor “David and Goliath” as the classic underdog story… even if they don’t realize it comes from the Bible. A lot of the time today, we hear it used in business and economics, where a small business entrepreneur takes on the great mega corporation.
As I have mentioned before with familiar stories like this, is that there can be such a thing as being too familiar with it. We assume that we know how the story goes, we assume that we’ve learned all that we need to from it. As much as the metaphor is something that we continue to use in life, there’s often something that we miss. Like many of the familiar stories in the Bible, there is a huge wealth of untapped meaning. It means that we can come back to this story again and again and find something new… where most of us think we’ve learned everything there is to learn.
A mentor of mine once told me that the best way to combat this is to read the story over and over again, in as many different translations as possible. He also said something about reading it in the original language, but that’s not something that everybody can do… so perhaps let’s stick with keeping a number of translations handy. In carefully reading it many times in so many different ways, it actually ceases to be familiar… or rather all the well-known elements of the story begin to fall away, bringing the less recognizable parts into focus. That’s where we begin! Tell the story again!
The confrontation with Goliath is great storytelling. The army of Israel and the army of the Philistines are arrayed against each other. Unlike modern warfare, there was almost a civility to armed conflict. The two armies come out and meet on the field of battle, camped across from each other in full view. Part of this is intimidation. Display all of your forces as a way to intimidate your opponent into negotiating a peaceful settlement. If they can’t come to an agreement, then pull out the swords and settle this on the field of battle. The field is set… the pieces are moving… and yet there is something different about this one.
Note: The remainder of the sermon was done storytelling style, outside the Pulpit:
In essence, people are expecting David to face Goliath on their terms… worse yet, to face Goliath on his terms… in the way that the giant is used to fighting.
Instead, David is true to his own gifts and skills, and calling. It’s only when he is authentic to who he is that he can truly face Goliath.
Every once in a while, the suggested weekly readings from scripture, stumble across one of the great old favorites. Those stories that many of us learned in Sunday School way back when, and have continued to be the staple of the tales that we tell children that bring home memories of our own childhood. David and Goliath, amongst all the others, stands tall amongst this dearly beloved collection. Regardless of how historical the events are in First Samuel, the story of the young boy and the Philistine Giant has taken on an epic, mythic quality. They are part of the cultural collective, even in our now mostly secular society. Most people can at least associate the metaphor “David and Goliath” as the classic underdog story… even if they don’t realize it comes from the Bible. A lot of the time today, we hear it used in business and economics, where a small business entrepreneur takes on the great mega corporation.
As I have mentioned before with familiar stories like this, is that there can be such a thing as being too familiar with it. We assume that we know how the story goes, we assume that we’ve learned all that we need to from it. As much as the metaphor is something that we continue to use in life, there’s often something that we miss. Like many of the familiar stories in the Bible, there is a huge wealth of untapped meaning. It means that we can come back to this story again and again and find something new… where most of us think we’ve learned everything there is to learn.
A mentor of mine once told me that the best way to combat this is to read the story over and over again, in as many different translations as possible. He also said something about reading it in the original language, but that’s not something that everybody can do… so perhaps let’s stick with keeping a number of translations handy. In carefully reading it many times in so many different ways, it actually ceases to be familiar… or rather all the well-known elements of the story begin to fall away, bringing the less recognizable parts into focus. That’s where we begin! Tell the story again!
The confrontation with Goliath is great storytelling. The army of Israel and the army of the Philistines are arrayed against each other. Unlike modern warfare, there was almost a civility to armed conflict. The two armies come out and meet on the field of battle, camped across from each other in full view. Part of this is intimidation. Display all of your forces as a way to intimidate your opponent into negotiating a peaceful settlement. If they can’t come to an agreement, then pull out the swords and settle this on the field of battle. The field is set… the pieces are moving… and yet there is something different about this one.
Note: The remainder of the sermon was done storytelling style, outside the Pulpit:
- Goliath comes forth… Not helpful for us to know exactly how tall he was… different manuscripts have different heights… some say nearly seven feet, some put him at nine. Regardless, he’s a huge veteran warrior, whose very presence scares the life out of everyone in the opposing army.
- The story goes out of its way to show how big and impressive this guy is… legendary fearsome. Unfortunately, to us with modern ears and no concept of ancient warfare, it gets kind of lost. Trust me… He struck a terrifying profile on the battlefield.
- Confident in his own abilities, and yet in his own way has a sense of honour. He issues a challenge to Saul’s army that if one person can come out and defeat him in one-on-one combat, then there is no need for any further bloodshed.
- David, who at this point is still at best an early teenager, comes out to the battle simply to watch. He gets yelled at by his brothers.
- Nobody is willing to take up Goliath on his challenge. Except David… the lad’s enthusiasm is probably a bit grating to the older veterans.
- Everybody thinks David is going to get himself killed.
- Doesn’t have armour or a conventional weapon.
- Saul provides him with armour and weapons. A bronze helmet, a coat of scale mail, and a sword. After all, that is what a warrior wears.
- David can’t even walk with these… they’re much too cumbersome… they don’t fit right… too big… David can’t see…
- Frustrated, David pulls the armour off, throws the sword on the ground. He runs down to the nearby dry riverbed, and pulls out a number of smooth stones.
- Comes out to face Goliath… Goliath makes fun of him.
- We know what happens next. After a verbal exchange, the two get down to fighting. Before Goliath can even get close, David uses his sling to great accuracy, and fells the giant Philistine with one shot.
In essence, people are expecting David to face Goliath on their terms… worse yet, to face Goliath on his terms… in the way that the giant is used to fighting.
Instead, David is true to his own gifts and skills, and calling. It’s only when he is authentic to who he is that he can truly face Goliath.
- How often do we try to live up to other’s expectations?
- It’s like putting on Saul’s armour to face Goliath. It doesn’t fit to the gifts that we have.
- God gives each of us gifts, and calls each of us to discover them and be true to them. God isn’t expecting us to be somebody else…
- Final Line:After all, in living up to the gifts that God gives us… being true to who God calls us to be… we could find ourselves being Giantslayers!
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