When the Giant Is Named: A Study of David and Goliath
The account in 1 Samuel is read often and claimed widely, so it is worth reading slowly for what it actually says.
The story of David and Goliath is old and familiar, and it has lately turned up in public life again. According to Charisma News, a Texas Senate candidate, James Talarico, drew on the account during a speech at Inspiring Body of Christ Church in Dallas on October 11. The story travels easily. That is reason to return to the text itself and read it on its own terms.
The battle is told in 1 Samuel 17. Two armies face each other across a valley. A Philistine champion steps out each day and dares Israel to send a man against him. No one goes. Then a shepherd, sent by his father to carry food to his brothers, hears the challenge and answers it.
Notice where David places his confidence. He does not boast of his aim or his strength. He says, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied" (1 Samuel 17:45).
For reflection: What "giants" do you tend to name in your own life? Are they truly the obstacle, or a smaller fear dressed up as one? And where, honestly, is your confidence placed today? Read the chapter in full before you decide what the story is for.
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