Overcoming Giants…

Over Memorial Day weekend, Denise and I traveled to the mountains of North Georgia where we stayed for a few days and attended her niece’s wedding in Cleveland, GA. On the Saturday of that weekend, we decided to hike with our youngest, Christopher. We had heard about Amicalola Falls State Park (above) and thought we would give it a try. It is the southern gateway into the Appalachian trail system that reaches all the way to Maine. The sign on the trail said it was 2.1 miles to the top of the water falls. How difficult could that be? I used to regularly run 2-3 miles several times a week as a part of my Physical Fitness Training for the Air Force. Silly Padre, that was back in 2011 and you were younger then! You were also jogging/running at sea level.

The 2.1 mile trail to the top of the Falls also meant a 725 foot increase in elevation with multiple switchbacks and partially washed out trails and large rocks. Yep, it was a challenge to say the least. I am proud to say that we not only kept pace with our 20 year old son, but we actually made it with smiles on our faces. Of course, how can you not smile when you see the breathtaking vistas on the way up!

You know the old adage… what goes up, must come down? Going down meant stairs… 600 to be exact! It took 175 stair steps to go from the very top of the falls to the first vantage point. Then it took another 425 stair steps to get to the bottom of the falls.

So, all in all, it was a strenuous hike (the sign wasn’t lying) with some incredible views and opportunities to take pictures. So what does this have to do with 1 Samuel 17 and the story of David slaying Goliath? Good question! Hopefully I can shed some light on that in the coming paragraphs!

The Israelite Army faced a formidable opponent with the Army of the Philistines. Their army wasn’t the only thing that was formidable. The giant of a soldier called Goliath was an even bigger obstacle and foe. The way he taunted the Israelite Army and King Saul had to be unnerving and humiliating.

Only one individual responded to Goliath’s taunt – “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” No, it wasn’t one of Saul’s champions. It wasn’t the largest or fiercest soldier in his army. It was a young man who wasn’t even supposed to be there. David had been sent by his father to bring food to his three older brothers who were in Saul’s army. While visiting with his brothers, he heard Goliath’s taunting and he saw the men of Israel run away in fear.

It was David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, the shepherd, who answered Goliath’s taunts with action instead of fear. King Saul tried to give David his own heavy armor to go out and do battle with the giant. However, David could hardly move in the heavy armor that Saul gave him to wear. David wasn’t strong enough to wear the armor and wield the sword of the King, but he was the one who was going to do battle with Goliath? Seriously? Either he was crazy as a loon or there was more to David than met the eye.

The shepherd, stooped to the ground and picked up five smooth stones. He put them in his shepherd’s pouch and adjusted his sling before heading out to meet Goliath. Of course, Goliath proceeded to heap more humiliating words upon David and the Israelite army. Calmly taking the insults from this giant, David stood firm and in turn chastised Goliath for defiling the name of the “Lord of hosts, the God of the Armies of Israel…” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Game on! It was time for David to put his money where his mouth was. Goliath must have been smug with self-confidence as he thought about the multitude of ways he could crush this young upstart and then continue on to crush the whole army. As Goliath advanced, sword and armor clanking, David calmly reached into this shepherd’s pouch, pulled out a stone, fitted it into his sling, took aim and slung the stone. Whack! With one well-placed shot, he felled the giant with a single stone.

The might of an empire was brought down by a single stone. This has happened many times throughout history. It wasn’t military might that toppled the Soviets in Afghanistan, it was the determination and resilience of the tribesmen who fought back with cunning and strategy. You could say the same thing about Vietnam and, dare I say it, Iraq and Afghanistan during my time in the military. Looks can be deceiving as was seen in the case of David versus Goliath. It isn’t always the military might that wins the battle or takes the day.

So how does this speak to us today? Well, you and I, dear reader, may not be facing an army or battle. However, we may well be facing a struggle or a fight that is equally as intense. What was it that made the difference for David? It wasn’t his battle gear, that’s for sure! Nobody would have expected a slingshot and a smooth stone to take down the giant.

I believe it was the faith of David that made the difference. It was by faith that he overcame the giant in front of him and it is by faith that we are able to overcome the giants that face us in our own lives. Whatever giants or demons we may be struggling with, God equips us for that fight. Prayer, Love, Sharing the pain of others, Community building, embracing our Scriptural heritage/story… these could well be the five stones that make the difference for us. These five stones are similar to the ones Eugene H. Peterson in his classic book for pastors, “Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work”, offered to pastors who are seeking to recover their calling and mission.

These five smooth stones may well be what you need as you face your own Goliath’s in your daily journey. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…”. Embrace the love God offers to you and allow it to transform your life. “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13) Why is love the greatest? Because it is God’s love poured  into our hearts and our lives. Embrace that love… be filled with that love… then you will overcome all manner of giants!