When 5 Smooth Stones of Strategies Aren't The Point

In the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) little, untrained David reject Saul's armor and goes out to meet the giant with his slingshot and 5 smooth stones he finds along the way.  I've heard (and used) applications of this story 100 times.  Most of them involve identifying 5 actions to take in overcoming the giant of (fill in blank here...addictions, sins, relationships, etc).  I've heard (and taught) about putting off Saul's armor because God wants to use you and me just as we are, not wearing someone else's strengths and gifts.  I've even taught about how God used past experiences in David's life to prepare him for this moment.


These applications are not wrong, per ce, but what if we looked a little deeper to see how the narrative fits into the larger story of salvation?  How would that affect my reading of the narrative?

The larger narrative of Scripture and for that matter, Redemption History, is our representative in Christ defeating death and sin through His death and resurrection.  This would mean that in the David and Goliath story, the person I should identify with is not David.  It's not Goliath either.  If David represents a Christological figure and Goliath represents sin and death, then where do I fit in the story?

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.  [1Sa 17:11 ESV]

I'm one of the scared Israelites hiding in the camp.  I'm not looking for strategic stones to overcome this evil.  I'm not getting out my sling to slay a giant of addiction.  I'm hiding in my tent hoping someone will come deal with this!

This is where it gets good!

Look what happens when David defeats the giant.

And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. [1Sa 17:52 ESV]

Once the battle was won, the scared Israelites came charging out of the camp full of confidence and strength!

This narrative took on new meaning for me as I reflected on my role as a pastor.  I'm constantly looking for 5 strategic stones to grow the church, have more effective ministry, and build a lasting impression on our community.  Maybe I need to quit looking for stones, and instead look up and see that Jesus already conquered the giant that mattered.  Maybe I need to find my confidence in the One who defeated death rather than a smoother stone.  Maybe I need to leave the camp and start doing what God called me to do - share the good news of freedom from sin and death!

What does this mean for you?  If you aren't David trying to conquer a "giant" in your life, but instead you were one of the scared men hiding in the camp, then how does it change your perspective on life if Jesus already won the battle that mattered?  How does this affect your confidence? How does this impact your willingness to talk about the battle Jesus won on our behalf as opposed to how you applied a 5 step process to overcome an addiction?

Confidence comes in the victory won by Jesus, not in better stones.

(note: thanks to Jared Wilson's book "The Pastor's Justification" for this idea and reading of the text)