God's People: David & Goliath

David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. The Israelites said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel.” David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” The people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”
His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. He said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle.” David said, “What have I done now? It was only a question.” He turned away from him toward another and spoke in the same way; and the people answered him again as before.
When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you!” ~ I Samuel 17:22-37

"What have I done now? It was only a question."

These might be the most relatable words in scripture. How many teenagers can you heard in your head saying those exact words?
The teenager David says these words to his elder brother. You can hear the tone in his voice. The annoyance. The attitude!
Like a lot of teenagers I know, David has confidence. Of course, David has some things backing up his confidence.
A few things give David some legs to stand on. First, what his brother seems to have forgotten, is that David has been anointed king.
Because of that, he knows that God is with him. He knows that God will not stand for Goliath's defiance.
And he knows also that he, David, has what it takes to back up his confidence. He knows how to face the giant.
He knows that God has equipped him just for this, and not simply with a slingshot. God has equipped him with faith and experience to live out the calling he's been given.
And that calling will show him to be a very different king than Saul: one who serves God not for personal glory, but because he has the faith to live into being the person God has created him to be.

Prayer: God of experience and wisdom, help me to live into the calling you have given me and to serve you and your world with faith. Amen.

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