I love the freshness God’s Holy Spirit brings to my Bible reading each day!  I love how he highlights verses in new ways, often relating to things going on in my life.  He did that  for me this morning when I read again the story of David and Goliath.  After I managed to get beyond the images firmly planted in my mind from watching the VeggieTales movie Dave and the Giant Pickle multiple times with my grandson, this verse stood out to me:

…”Why have you come down?  And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”  And David said, “What have I done now?”  (1 Samuel 17:28).

 I’m pretty sure Eliab, David’s oldest brother, was still stinging after Samuel anointed David (the youngest of eight sons) to be king over Israel.  Perhaps he was speaking from jealousy, perhaps he was speaking from anger, but one thing is for sure, he was not speaking from knowledge!  David was on a mission, sent by his father to bring food—strengthening and nourishment—to his brothers and their commander, and it was in the midst of doing the simple that he had an opportunity to do the incredible.

I wonder if Eliab was frustrated by his vulnerability in the face of a giant?  I wonder if he was guilty of the things he was accusing David of?  I wonder if he was seeing things in the natural because that is what he was familiar with?  Just a chapter earlier when Eliab was passed over for king, Samuel was advised,  for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Now I know these are very familiar scriptures and a very familiar sermon topic.  I do not think I have heard it applied in the aspect of ministry– judging, criticizing, “evaluating” a person and the task God has given them to do.  I can relate a bit with David and his plea, “What did I do now?”  He was just following orders, he took care of all of his responsibilities, and he was doing what his father asked him to do, and for that, he was attacked—not by the enemy but by his brother!  …and in the midst of doing the menial chore, he had the opportunity to defeat a big enemy—something his brother let fear keep him from doing.

I am reminded of the verse in Romans (14:4) Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?  It is before his own master that he stands or falls.  And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Here are some things that I’ve been thinking about lately because they have come up in conversation and in different forums—it has to do with age discrimination, young vs. old, old vs. young.  A lot of young people are frustrated with the older generation and figure them to be stuck in their ways and irrelevant to church and Christianity today.  Older people are concerned that younger Christians do not have the stability of scripture and tend to flow with the currents the world rather than the kingdom.

I’m wondering if we could rearrange our thinking a bit?  Perhaps we older folks can see in the youth a vitality and sense of adventure that we once had? Perhaps we could begin to recognize that young people have a Father-given responsibility to perform and they are just doing their jobs?  Perhaps young people could look at older Christians and see people who have fought the fight and maintained the faith through difficulties and many painful situations—we have come through the fire stronger and continue to hold on to our Savior and His Word.  Perhaps we all could bathe again in the truth and grace of Jesus and extend it to others.  …and in those moments when we have concerns about the ministry and the lives of others, let us take those concerns to God in prayer, knowing that He, who began a good work in us, will bring it to completion (Phil. 1:6).