To Be Least

⁷ All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
⁸ "He trusts in the LORD ;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him." (Psalm 22)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

      This verse brings in mind David. He was the youngest of all his brothers, and was a shepherd boy. When the Philistines want to war with the Israelites, a giant by the name of Goliath challenged the Israelite army. "⁸Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. ⁹If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." (1 Samuel 17)
      When David was sent by his father to bring provisions to his older brothers who were in Israel's army, he saw this giant and how frightened the Israelites had become of him. Then this young boy is brought to Saul. David asks him to fight Goliath and Saul offers him his armor to go fight. However, David takes only a few stones and his sling and approaches Goliath.
      Goliath cursed David and David replies, "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. ⁴⁶This 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. ⁴⁷All 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." (1 Samuel 17) Then taking his sling David slew him with a single stone.
      The thing that amazes me was David's trust in God. He put his life at risk because of his faith in the Lord, that he would hand over Goliath to the Israelites. Instead of trusting Saul's armor, he trusted the Lord. Rather relying on himself, David relied on the Lord. How often do we rely on ourselves when we should rely on God, the creator of this universe?