Just the Right Size

Picture this: you are a small boy who is standing in front of the biggest, tallest, strongest, meanest man you have ever seen with only a sling and a few stones. The giant is taunting you, telling you that you are nothing but a dog to him and thousands of people are watching you. Most of them are on the giant’s side and the ones that are supposed to be on your side, think you are crazy because of what you think you can do. Now I think by now you can figure out who I am talking about. David and Goliath. We have all heard that story, we know it by heart and we tell it to our kids. I was struck by something this morning though (ha – no pun intended). I was listening to the radio on the way to work and Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns came on the radio. Now I LOVE this song. I have always been able to picture exactly what they were talking about when they mentioned Peter climbing out of the boat or David standing in front of Goliath. But toward the end of the song, in a portion that many probably don’t pay attention to or a part that the radio may cut off so they can get more songs in, is a line that says “but the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground”. Hmmm…that made me think. If the stones had been bigger, David might have felt better about what he was about to do because it would have felt heavy and solid in his hand. But it might have been too big to fit the sling, it might not have flown as far and so it might have just landed on the giant’s toe. If the stones had been smaller, it might have fallen out of the sling, it might not have even left the sling or it might have flown over Goliath’s head. But the stone was just right to do the job. People tell us not to worry because God equips us with what we need. But so many times we look at our lives and what we have or don’t have and we begin to doubt. Because we aren’t looking at our target, we are looking at those small stones. So let’s ignore those people who laugh at us reminding us ‘of all the times we’ve tried before and failed’. And listen to and believe the Voice of Truth, who tells us ‘a different story’. The Voice that says ‘Do not be afraid!’, that ‘This is for My glory.’

1 Chronicles 28:20 (ESV) - Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished

Psalm 79:9 (ESV) - Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!

~Avie DeMorat