Hopeless, Helpless, and Worthless

When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:31-37 ESV).

 

Our world is smeared with hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness. But God wants us to know our worth and have fulfillment in life. He wants us to be world changers. He wants us to move beyond the status quo to help people enter his kingdom. The story of David defeating Goliath is one of the preeminent texts to bring hope, strength, and value to our mind.

 

David was young and inexperienced. According to his brother Eliab, he did not have the right attitude. He was not properly equipped. Yet God used David, an unlikely warrior, to move Israel from a place of defeat to a place of victory. When David arrived on the battlefield, he saw that the Israelites were paralyzed with fear because of the giant Goliath. But David knew this was the Lord’s battle, so he spoke with words of hope: “Who is this … Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine.”

 

From a human point of view, Goliath had the most advanced equipment and the experience of a champion warrior, while David was just a teenager with no ­armor and no battle experience. What so many could not fathom was this truth David affirmed. David knew this was the Lord’s battle. He also knew the Lord was Almighty and could not lose this fight. So he moved past all the obstacles and took this opponent down.

 

Are we so different in our needs today? Do we not face what seems to be an insurmountable enemy? It is nearly invisible and dangerous. Yet, we cannot fear. As God’s people on this earth, and with his help, we too can use the skills and limited resources we have to overcome this enemy, change our world, and help God increase his kingdom.