Despite being the shortest person to ever play in the NBA at 5 foot 3 inches tall, Muggsy Bogues has a solid 14-year career. Muggsy never let his height hold him back. He once famously said, "It's not your size that matters, but the size of your heart." Instead of letting his height stop him, Muggsy believed your character, passion, and determination could overcome any obstacle.
Some of the most impactful heroes come from humble beginnings.
David was another small, unlikely hero who came from humble beginnings but became king of Israel and one of the most respected leaders in the Bible.
King Saul was the first king of Israel, but because of his inability to be patient and follow God, the prophet Samuel anointed David as the future king of Israel when David was just a young shepherd boy.
David was the youngest and smallest of 8 boys when Samuel first met and anointed David. While King Saul was tall, handsome, and an obvious choice to become king, David was not, but when God is with you, age, appearance, and experience don’t matter.
David gained his fame as a warrior, famously defeating Goliath in one of the most popular stories in the Bible. The Philistines were one of Israel’s greatest enemies, and Goliath was a giant Philistine warrior. In the middle of a conflict between the Israelites and the Philistines, he would come out daily, for 40 days, and challenge the Israelites to send a champion to a 1 on 1 battle, saying the winner would decide the outcome of the battle.
None of the Israelites wanted anything to do with Goliath except young David. Armed with just a sling and small stones, David killed Goliath with a single shot to the forehead, and the victory became a turning point in the conflict and established David as a hero.
David then earned the favor and respect of King Saul and served in his court as a musician, but because everyone loved David, Saul grew jealous of David's popularity and eventually tried to kill him. David spent years on the run before King Saul eventually died.
After Saul's death, David became the king of his tribe, Judah, and eventually over all of Israel.
I have 3 key takeaways from David’s journey:
1 - HAVE AN UNWAVERING FAITH IN GOD
First, David’s faith when facing Goliath changed an entire war. Every warrior in Israel was afraid of Goliath except for young David. When he saw David coming to him with his sling and rocks, Goliath said in 1 Samuel 17, “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.”
Instead of backing down, David said back, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
Not only was David not afraid, but he was confident because he knew God was with him. Where did that confidence come from?
2 - WE BUILD CONFIDENCE THROUGH OUR PRIVATE BATTLES
When David told King Saul he would fight Goliath, King Saul definitely had his doubts, but David told him when he kept sheep for his father, he had to kill lions and bears to protect them.
David got his fame by defeating Goliath in front of everyone, but he practiced his skills and built his confidence in private.
If we want to be great, we have to have battles and wins that nobody sees before everyone can see them. If you want to look good in front of thousands, you have to outwork thousands in front of nobody.
3 - SEEK GOD’S FORGIVENESS
Finally, David was far from perfect. He sinned like everyone else. One of his worst decisions was taking the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers, and then sending Uriah to the battlefield with orders for the commander, Joab, to place Uriah in the most dangerous position and then withdraw the troops, essentially ensuring Uriah would be killed by the enemy.
It doesn’t get much worse than that, but the reason David is respected and revered is not because he was perfect but because of his deep faith and devotion to God and his willingness to acknowledge his flaws, repent for his sins, and seek forgiveness.
David’s legacy is more about God’s love than David’s accomplishments. Despite David’s shortcomings as a father, husband, soldier, and king, he was still chosen by God to lead His people.
No matter where we start, no matter what our flaws are, and even though we are imperfect and make mistakes, God wants to use us too.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What character trait do you feel helps you the most?
2 - How do you use that character trait to help others?
3 - What is one character flaw that you have that holds you back?
4 - What can you do to grow in this area so that it is no longer a weakness?
My Prayer:
Dear, God.
I know that I have strengths, and I know that I have weaknesses. I know that I am imperfect. Please help me to lean on and use my strengths, and please help me grow my weaknesses so that they don’t hold me back. While I learn and grow, please help me have the faith of David - the confidence that through you, I can do all things!
In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
For a printable PDF version of this devotional, click here: The Faith of David
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