SLAYING GOLIATH

One of the underdog stories of the ages is David and Goliath. It causes about every heart to beat with hope and a ‘what if?’ One of the main things that arise within an individual is to beat any and every thing that is overrated…especially if there is boasting involved.

Historian Ed Ayers wrote, “Part of the American dream is that everyone has a fair chance to succeed, and anyone who doesn’t, we can somehow relate to them.” David and Goliath is not part of the American dream except in concept and example. No one likes a bully and no one likes to be pushed around and threatened.
We don’t like cheaters, or people who use cheating enhancing drugs on people or animals to win races to set records or to be crazy. Or, doped engines to win auto races… or cheating to win at anything… this includes business, politics, or school entrance exams and grades, or going to the fruit stand or farmers market and coming home to find two or three bad berries hidden in the bottom of the strawberry basket. Getting cheated on any deal just ticks us off. We get pumped when the cheater loses, the bragger staggers, the boaster bombs out and Goliath gets a rock between his eyes.

I unfortunately feel like a lot of the prevalent attitude of basic Christian thought is that of the underdog. One of just hoping we somehow ‘make it’ or ‘win in the end.’ We quote things like ‘I know the end of the story and we win,’ or ‘Someday every knee will bow…” and so on. There seems to be little ‘winning now’ type thinking.

Perhaps we should move from underdog to David dog.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!” Jesus