What You See

The small skinny, beardless boy kneels down by the brook. Sweat drops from his forehead as he listens to the sounds of war and the growling, bloodthirsty men of the Philistine Army. As the mud from the brook squishes on his knees and the cold water cools his hand he sees a reflection of a rudy and handsome copper haired young man with eyes that would steal the hearts of young Hebrew teenagers. But he searches not for a reflection, however, but for stones. Stones that he used for fending off the predators that would come the destroy and devour his sheep. He chooses 5 of them, places them in his shepherds pouch and draws near the Philistine that stands before him. Skinny, scrawny, rudy and handsome David. Bulky, brutish man eating Goliath. The toothpick verses the tornado. The Toy Poodle taking on the Rottweiler. What odds do you give David against the his giant? Perhaps better odds than you give yourself against YOUR giants.

Your giant perhaps doesn't carry around a sword or a shield; instead he carries unemployment, abandonment, sexual abuse or depression. Your giant doesn't parade up and down the hills of Elah; instead he roams throughout your office, your bedroom, your classroom. He brings bills your can't pay, people you can't please, alcohol you can't resist, pornography you can't refuse, a career you can't escape, a past you can't shake and a future you can't face. You know well the roar of giants just as Israel knew the sounds and scoffs of Goliath and the Philistine army.

What giants do you face? "What Do You See?" As David kneeled down and saw his reflection in the brook he didn't see a little boy, but saw the God that lives in him. He didn't look at what he was capable of, his experience, his success, his failures, his qualities or reputation. In fact he doesn't even care about who this Goliath is or what he's capable of. He doesn't ask one time about his skill, age, social standing, weight, height, spear length, size of shield, quickness, or the skull and bones tattooed on Goliath's 55 inch bicep. David asks one question, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? (I Samuel 17:26) He simply focuses on God and what he's capable of doing! Look past yourself and stand in awe of what God can do in your life.

Focus on Giants--you stumble.

Focus on God--your giants tumble.