1 Sam 17:34- 37 we read, ‘But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock, 35 I went out after it and attacked it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth; and when it rose up against me, I grabbed it by its mane and struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”’

This is the context to a story that caught my attention in a different way this week during our bible study with Ps Q. I read the whole chapter 17 to remind myself again on the circumstances leading to this moment. While I read I realized a few things. David was a Shepard whose only job was to look after the flock. There was no other expectation from him. He was placed in that box and that was all he could ever be (so they thought). Scripture tells us that on this particular day David was asked to be a runner and deliver food to his brothers who were doing the more important work at the forefront being warriors. 

Now there are many things people do not know about work that happens on the background like looking after flock. The same is true of this instance. No one seems to have cared to know anything about David’s daily job except that there flock is back home at sunset, and it is still the same number he left with in the morning. Even if he shared his adventures as a Shepard, he probably would have shared with people who do a similar job. All his experience is contextualized to his field. The box we all put each other in when we know what a person studied and make a conclusion that it would be the only valid add they would have. Limited to our knowledge. 

Now here comes a big moment, David finds his brothers together with the rest of the army in a pretty vulnerable position of having to face a giant Goliath who wants to fight them one by one. David recalls his experience in the wild where no one ever comes, and he volunteers to tackle this problem once and for all. David is confident because he is backed up by his experience that he acquired when no one was looking. He then brings light to them as they show their unbelief in him. He tells them about his experience in the wild and he also remembers to mention how he depends on the Lord in verse 37 And David said, “The Lord who saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” This is the same Lord he has had to depend on when he fought his own fights with no one looking. Not only does David share his curriculum vitae but he also introduces his backer or sponsor! You know that person in corporate who becomes your fighter in rooms where you cannot go in to fight for yourself. 

David has put in the work but not only that, he has networked with the right stakeholders to have the most senior person on the room back him up. David is not just a prayer warrior, he is diligent on gathering experience. 

What really amazes me about this story is not only that David is the unexpected straight the country of Judah needed but he is legible because he gained genuine experience and insight not with intentions to ever take on a giant. David did not know he was being prepared for this moment; he was just faithful with the “little” he was given.  The second insightful thing I learn from David is that I do not have to fit in to make an impact. The environment in which David was prepared was different and better suited for where he was. He did not have to wear army protective gear in the wild because that was not a requirement. His experience was not based on his exterior, it was more internal. Because David knew who he is in the Lord he did not let the dress code distract him. He went into the war exactly as he was. The bible tells us in verse 39 –So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, because I have not trained with them.” And David took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, that is, in his shepherd’s pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.  Later on in the text we also read that David struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone penetrated his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. And this is how the Philistines got defeated. David came as he was and trusted God to direct his steps.

David was not known before this moment; towards the end of the Chapter we hear that the king asked “whose son are you young man?”  His diligence and faithfulness created platforms for him. He never forced his way, he let God train him and open the right doors in His perfect time.  

Now I want to share a personal insight that I hope you will also catch when you read 1 Samuel 17. David was not being strategic; he was being faithful. Many are David’s amongst us and some maybe Goliaths who speak loudly but from a place of ignorance because of how they are known and perceived. I want to encourage us all to learn a thing or two from David. God is looking for faithfulness not strategists, the bible tells us in Hebrews 12, He is the author and the finisher of our faith. This means he has already designed the strategy, ours is to faithfully walk in it. He also tells us in the book of Jeremiah, that He knows the plans He has for us. Meaning there is a plan already. Ours is to just execute according to it.

Be blessed, Happy #ThirstyThursday 

#QuenchMyThirst #ThirstyThursday 

Thank God, Jesus pursued me.

LM

Lungie@quenchmythirst.life