The Giant Slayer

What are some of the giants in your life?  You know, those issues or people that you'd rather not discuss.  I think about my giants often.  Yes, I do have them.  We all do.  A giant typically is a person or some inanimate object magnified times 10,000.  For the first time in about five years, I am teaching freshmen again.  I think that in the eyes of 13 and 14 year old students, barely reaching five feet in height, that I may be a giant for them, after all I do stand over six feet in height.  My class may also prove to be a giant for them as well.

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is about David and Goliath.  Yes, I was the dorky Sunday School kid with a Bible coloring book.  I wonder what happened to it?  In the book of First Samuel, we are told the story of David, Jessie's boy, the ruddy and courageous shepherd who had the courage to face Goliath the Giant of Philistia, who had defiled Isreal.  Goliath was a big man, maybe big in an understatement.  But David in the previous chapter had been anointed King of Isreal by Samuel. 

One day Goliath was out on the battlefield talking smack and King Saul's army was afraid and just letting Goliath talk all over them and threaten them.  So word got down to David.  In his childlike faith, he knew that he could take the Giant down.  So armed with his staff, shepherd's bag, five smooth stones from the brook, and a sling, he went to meet the adversary.  Upon getting on the scene, David couldn't even put on Saul's armor.  It was too heavy for him.  But that didn't stop him.  He boldly told Goliath, that he would fall into his hands.  Goliath scoffed and laughed at the lad.  Next thing you know David drew back his sling and socked him right between the eye socket with one of his stones, killing him instantly.  Read I Samuel 17, it's an awesome story.

Whatever your giant is, grab your rod of faith (staff), your Shepherd's bag, it may be some type of clutch, Prada, Coach or a manbag, grab your smooth stones which are representative of your hope in God and sling those bad boys right between the eyes socket of your giant.  Whatever your giant is, depression, alcoholism, low self-esteem, greed, guilt, sickness, lonliness, drug addiction, peer pressure, debt,  I hereby commission you as a Giant Slayer for the Kingdom.  Your giant will come down.  But, you have to be courageous enough to approach it.

Peace,
Karsten