David the Giant Killer
College and professional football only started just a few weeks ago and I’ve already heard it a number of times: “this game is a regular David vs. Goliath!” Sports media in the United States has hijacked this biblical story. As a result, some of us in the Church may have lost sight of what the David vs. Goliath story is about and the battle each of us face with our own giants.
Most of us use the phrase “David vs. Goliath” to describe a situation between an underdog and a heavy favorite. For instance, a large portion of my extended family LOVES Alabama (Roll Tide!). Each year (at least since 2009), the week before Alabama plays against Auburn for the last game of the regular season, Alabama tends to play a smaller, weaker team. This year Alabama plays The Citadel. In years past Alabama has played teams like: Mercer, Chattanooga, Charleston Southern, Western Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State. You know what the average score is for this game over the past 9 years? 49 to 6! In four out of the nine years, Alabama didn’t even give up a single point! Now that’s a true longshot vs. juggernaut!
But this isn’t what the story of David vs. Goliath is about. It isn't about a boy with little to no chance of winning. Sure, many might assume Goliath would win because of his sheer size and strength. Yet, under further consideration, we should quickly realize that David isn’t some crème puff and Goliath isn’t as invincible as we have come to believe. If we turn back to 1 Samuel 17 and read the story again, we should be drawn to a few key details that can help us better understand this old familiar story. First of all, David was not as defenseless as we have made him out to be. During this time period, armies were made up of cavalry, heavy infantry, and artillery. What few of us in the 21st century realize is that entire battles could be won or loss due the efficiency of an army’s artillery, or archers and slingers. In fact, these slingers could launch a stone close to 78 mph with pin-point accuracy. All of this is to say that David isn’t some child with a child’s toy. What he carries is not a wooden slingshot bought from Target but a critically devastating weapon used by soldiers in order to kill. We often paint David as this young boy, basically defenseless, certainly without a valuable weapon, and with only his leap of faith in God to protect him. The only thing our Sunday School story got right is that David acted with a confidence of faith.
A second detail we should notice is that Goliath wasn’t all that terrifying. Sure he was a “giant” and was covered head to toe in bronze armor. He also carried a large sword, spear, and shield. But all of that stuff is going to slow a man down. Modern scientists have been writing that Goliath was perhaps suffering from the condition: acromegaly (do a Google search with "acromegaly" and "Goliath" and you'll find more than a few articles). With this condition, a tumor grows in the brain to over-produce growth hormones – making Goliath giant-sized. However, it also results in poor vision and mobility. I am not exactly sold on this conclusion only because I have a hard time believing a “champion warrior” could have double vision and be abnormally slow and still be champion. These attributes aren’t exactly advantageous in a one-on-one battle. But perhaps just seeing Goliath caused armies to forfeit instead of taking up the challenge. Nonetheless, Goliath is prepared for a hand-to-hand combat. But, Goliath’s advantage is short-lived when David, a slinger, comes to fight him. Goliath knows at once that he doesn’t stand a chance. He relies on enemies fighting on his terms and fighting in close range. And so, when David comes down with a sling, Goliath “despises him” and “curses him,” knowing that he has been outmaneuvered. It only takes a moment for the quick killer from distance to take down the slow lumbering giant.
So what difference does this new insight to the David vs. Goliath story mean to us? Well, all of us should realize that with the giants we face in our own lives, we are not as helpless as we might originally believe. Giants are loud and scary looking – this helps to keep us in line. Yet God has given all of us weapons of destruction. Yes, we are armed with our faith and Scripture, but we also have unique skills and personalities we can use to our advantages. In what ways has God armed you? How can you better use what he has given you and the way he has made you in order to face the giants in your life? When you realize that God has already prepared you, then stepping in faith becomes easier. The giants you face are not as scary as you think – especially when you notice that you already have what you need to defeat them. Sometimes it just takes noticing our advantage to turn the battle in our favor.
If you want, check out Malcolm Gladwell’s interesting re-telling of this famous story here.