Resolving Injustice

Another of my favorite Old Testament stories is David & Goliath in I Samuel 17: the simple shepherd boy against the evil giant. 

Then [David] took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.  Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.  David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

Picture the boy delivering pizza to his brothers in the army winding up facing the one intimidating an entire army in front of an audience of thousands.  The Israelites were paralyzed.  The king was not leading, but trying to bribe someone else to take care of the problem (first historical attempt to hire mercenaries?).  Someone had to take action.  David wasn’t able to do this on his own, but as God’s servant, he was and he knew it.  With five small stones (and I love the humanity displayed when he picked up four more than needed) he resolved the problem. 

Am I willing to be used by God in intimidating circumstances to do impossible things?  Are you?