Have you ever heard someone talk about young David, the shepherd boy, and his victory over Goliath? Most of us have heard it spoken of more than once. Maybe it's just myself, but it seems like every time I've heard the story, David is described as a little, insignificant, type of boy who God magically anoints to kill the giant Goliath. While I certainly agree that God can do that if the situation calls for it, I believe we need to take a practical look at this again.

I Samuel 16:18 describes young David in a much different way. One of King Saul's servants calls him a "mighty valiant man, and a man of war." This description was given David prior to his victory over Goliath. He apparently already had a reputation of being someone who had courage and could achieve victory in a conflict situation. David himself told King Saul that he had killed a lion and a bear, and would take out Goliath as well. The point being that David was already skilled at dangerous conflict when he offered his services to fight Goliath. He did not just show up and fill out an application hoping God would sprinkle him with some giant killing fairy dust.

The point is simple. God has given us all gifts, talents and skills. It is our job to develop them. I'm sure that David practiced his skill with the sling while tending the flock. I believe that one of the reasons that God sent David to fight Goliath was because he not only had the courage to face the giant, he had the "bulls-eye" accuracy to make his shot count! Let's practice our gifting in the seemingly insignificant times, so we will be ready when we face the giants of life! Have a great week.

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