David has long been one of my favorite characters in the
Bible. Not so much for taking on
Goliath, but for being human and having flaws. But he loved God and God loved him, and he achieved greatness. I recently heard a new version of an old
story, and I’m that much more inspired by him.
It appears that in his epic battle with Goliath, he brought
a gun to a knife fight. Apparently his
humble sling could be used to knock birds out of the sky and have lethal force
at up to 200 yards. No surprise he could
hit a giant between the eyes at a much shorter distance. If you want the full details feel free to
watch the video below, if you want my practical application read on.
This is why I’m so impressed: David spent years perfecting
his skill with the sling out of complete practicality. He was defending his flock. He wasn’t practicing for war and giants, he
was doing his job. When he saw an opportunity
to defend is countrymen with the same skill, he had the courage and audacity to
step up. The soldiers were weighed down by the
traditions of war and were afraid, I’m sure, not only of death, but of what a
loss would mean to everyone in Israel. David became a legend and a king by looking
at a situation with a set of fresh eyes.
In our humble lives we hold potential for greatness, and our
greatness can be manifested under the right circumstances.
First we must develop our skills. I’m sure David practiced with his sling
before the wolves showed up. Then he
took out some wolves, THEN he took out a giant.
Only you can know if you are continuing to improve in your day to day
life or if you’re just coasting on what has always worked well enough.
Second, look at the world with the eyes of a child every
chance you get. The way things have
always been done may seem to be the best, but a child is never weighed down by
experience. They only see problems and
solutions, some good some not so much, but they are uninhibited to try.
Third, don’t be afraid of the giant, they’re not always as invincible
as they seem (see video). We must have
confidence in our preparation, and the audacity to use what we know.
Last, have the wisdom to recognize your opportunity. If Goliath had only attacked David’s flock, he
would have walked away with a cool story for his friends. Doing what he did on that massive stage
propelled him to legend status, and people forgot all the details that made him
human.
Just a few thoughts to start out the New Year: Work hard. Work Smart. Don’t over (or under)
estimate anyone. And when you see your chance DO IT BIG!
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