The mightly Philistines drew up their troops for battle against the Israelites. They were a savage, brutal, and bloodthristy lot. They were armed with the most advanced weaponry of the age. Opposing them was the Israelite army led by King Saul ...A giant nearly 10 feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor - 126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail. ... Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, "Why bother using your whole army? ... Pick your best fighter and pit him against me. ... I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!" When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine's challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope. (1 Samuel 17:4-11)
The story is well known to most folks. Little shepherd boy David can take no more of the taunting and shaming of God's chosen people. He volunteers to face the giant. He has no armor. No shield. Just a slingshot and a few stones. Before another word of mockery spews from Goliath, David meets him on the battlefield and takes him down and changes the course of history. That day David faced his giant and showed us how to do the same.
In the book Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado, the story of David shows us what facing our giants is all about. Of course, the story of David is so much more about the killing of Goliath by that seemingly unimpressive shepherd boy, that forgotten of Jesse's sons. Over the course of the next decade we see David grow into a man, learn how to be leader, and finally become king over a united Israel. David was called a man after God's own heart, but not because he was without sin. In fact, David faced many giants during his lifetime. Some he slew and others slew him. When he looked to God, he was blessed richly, but when he focused on his own desires, he failed miserably. Of course, this is the key to facing our giants.
